4 Maccabees 9 – search, read, and compare multiple versions of the Bible

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World English Bible Classic
[1] “Why do you delay, O tyrant? For we are more ready to die than to transgress the injunctions of our fathers. [2] We would be disgracing our fathers if we didn’t obey the law, and take knowledge for our guide. [3] O tyrant, counselor of law-breaking, do not, hating us as you do, pity us more than we pity ourselves. [4] For we consider your escape to be worse than death. [5] You try to scare us by threatening us with death by tortures, as though you had learned nothing by the death of Eleazar. [6] But if aged men of the Hebrews have died in the cause of religion after enduring torture, more rightly should we younger men die, scorning your cruel tortures, which our aged instructor overcame. [7] Make the attempt, then, O tyrant. If you put us to death for our religion, don’t think that you harm us by torturing us. [8] For we through this ill-treatment and endurance will gain the rewards of virtue. [9] But you, for the wicked and despotic slaughter of us, will, from the Divine vengeance, endure eternal torture by fire.” [10] When they had said this, the tyrant was not only exasperated against them for being disobedient, but enraged with them for being ungrateful. [11] So, at his bidding, the torturers brought the oldest of them, and tearing through his tunic, bound his hands and arms on each side with straps. [12] When they had labored hard in scourging him without effect, they hurled him on the wheel. [13] The noble youth, extended upon this, became dislocated. [14] With every member disjointed, he denounced the tyrant, saying, [15] “O most accursed tyrant, and enemy of heavenly justice, and cruel-hearted, I am no murderer, nor sacrilegious man, whom you torture, but a defender of the Divine law.” [16] And when the spearmen said, “Consent to eat, that you may be released from your tortures,” [17] he answered, “Not so powerful, O accursed lackeys, is your wheel, as to stifle my reasoning. Cut my limbs, and burn my flesh, and twist my joints. [18] For through all my torments I will convince you that the children of the Hebrews are alone unconquered on behalf of virtue.” [19] While he was saying this, they heaped up fuel, and setting fire to it, strained him on the wheel still more. [20] The wheel was defiled all over with blood. The hot ashes were quenched by the droppings of gore, and pieces of flesh were scattered about the axles of the machine. [21] Although the framework of his bones was now destroyed, the high-minded and Abrahamic youth didn’t groan. [22] But, as though transformed by fire into immortality, he nobly endured the rackings, saying, [23] “Imitate me, O kindred. Never desert your station, nor renounce my brotherhood in courage. Fight the holy and honorable fight of religion, [24] by which means our just and paternal Providence, becoming merciful to the nation, will punish the pestilent tyrant.” [25] Saying this, the revered youth abruptly closed his life. [26] When all admired his courageous soul, the spearmen brought forward him who was second oldest, and having put on iron gauntlets with sharp hooks, bound him to the rack. [27] When, on enquiring whether he would eat before he was tortured, they heard his noble sentiment. [28] After they with the iron gauntlets had violently dragged all the flesh from the neck to the chin, the panther-like animals tore off the very skin of his head, but he, bearing with firmness this misery, said, [29] “How sweet is every form of death for the religion of our fathers!” Then he said to the tyrant, [30] “Don’t you think, most cruel of all tyrants, that you are now tortured more than I, finding your arrogant conception of tyranny conquered by our perseverance in behalf of our religion? [31] For I lighten my suffering by the pleasures which are connected with virtue. [32] But you are tortured with threatenings for impiety. You won’t escape, most corrupt tyrant, the vengeance of Divine wrath.”
King James Version
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Septuaginta
[1] Τί G5101 μέλλεις, G3195 ὦ G5599 τύραννε; Ἕτοιμοι G2092 γάρ G1063 ἐσμεν G2070 ἀποθνῄσκειν G599 ἢ G2228 παραβαίνειν G3845 τὰς G3588 πατρίους ἡμῶν G2257 ἐντολάς· G1785 [2] αἰσχυνόμεθα G153 γὰρ G1063 τοὺς G3588 προγόνους G4269 ἡμῶν G2257 εἰκότως, εἰ G1487 μὴ G3361 τῇ G3588 τοῦ G3588 νόμου G3551 εὐπειθείᾳ καὶ G2532 συμβούλῳ G4825 Μωυσεῖ G3475 χρησαίμεθα. G5530 [3] Σύμβουλε G4825 τύραννε παρανομίας, G3892 μὴ G3361 ἡμᾶς G2248 μισῶν G3404 ὑπὲρ G5228 αὐτοὺς G846 ἡμᾶς G2248 ἐλέα. [4] Χαλεπώτερον G5467 γὰρ G1063 αὐτοῦ G846 τοῦ G3588 θανάτου G2288 νομίζομεν G3543 εἶναί G1511 σου G4675 τὸν G3588 ἐπὶ G1909 τῇ G3588 παρανόμῳ σωτηρίᾳ G4991 ἡμῶν G2257 ἔλεον. G1656 [5] Ἐκφοβεῖς G1629 δὲ G1161 ἡμᾶς G2248 τὸν G3588 διὰ G1223 τῶν G3588 βασάνων G931 θάνατον G2288 ἡμῖν G2254 ἀπειλῶν G546 ὥσπερ G5618 οὐχὶ G3780 πρὸ G4253 βραχέως παρ’ G3844 Ελεαζαρου μαθών. G3129 [6] Εἰ G1487 δ’ G1161 οἱ G3588 γέροντες G1088 τῶν G3588 Εβραίων G1445 διὰ G1223 τὴν G3588 εὐσέβειαν G2150 καὶ G2532 βασανισμοὺς G929 ὑπομείναντες G5278 εὐσέβησαν, G2151 ἀποθάνοιμεν G599 ἂν G302 δικαιότερον G1342 ἡμεῖς G2249 οἱ G3588 νέοι G3501 τὰς G3588 βασάνους G931 τῶν G3588 σῶν G4674 ἀναγκῶν G318 ὑπεριδόντες, G5237 ἃς G3739 καὶ G2532 ὁ G3588 παιδευτὴς G3810 ἡμῶν G2257 γέρων G1088 ἐνίκησεν. G3528 [7] Πείραζε G3985 τοιγαροῦν, G5105 τύραννε· καὶ G2532 τὰς G3588 ἡμῶν G2257 ψυχὰς G5590 εἰ G1487 θανατώσεις G2289 διὰ G1223 τὴν G3588 εὐσέβειαν, G2150 μὴ G3361 νομίσῃς G3543 ἡμᾶς G2248 βλάπτειν G984 βασανίζων. G928 [8] Ἡμεῖς G2249 μὲν G3303 γὰρ G1063 διὰ G1223 τῆσδε G3592 τῆς G3588 κακοπαθείας G2552 καὶ G2532 ὑπομονῆς G5281 τὰ G3588 τῆς G3588 ἀρετῆς G703 ἆθλα ἕξομεν G2192 καὶ G2532 ἐσόμεθα G2071 παρὰ G3844 θεῷ, G2316 δι’ G1223 ὃν G3739 καὶ G2532 πάσχομεν· G3958 [9] σὺ G4771 δὲ G1161 διὰ G1223 τὴν G3588 ἡμῶν G2257 μιαιφονίαν αὐτάρκη G842 καρτερήσεις G2594 ὑπὸ G5259 τῆς G3588 θείας G2304 δίκης G1349 αἰώνιον G166 βάσανον G931 διὰ G1223 πυρός. G4442 [10] Ταῦτα G5023 αὐτῶν G846 εἰπόντων G2036 οὐ G3756 μόνον G3440 ὡς G5613 κατὰ G2596 ἀπειθούντων G544 ἐχαλέπαινεν ὁ G3588 τύραννος, ἀλλὰ G235 καὶ G2532 ὡς G5613 κατὰ G2596 ἀχαρίστων G884 ὠργίσθη. G3710 [11] Ὅθεν G3606 τὸν G3588 πρεσβύτατον αὐτῶν G846 κελευσθέντες G2753 παρῆγον G3855 οἱ G3588 ὑπασπισταὶ καὶ G2532 διαρρήξαντες G1284 τὸν G3588 χιτῶνα G5509 διέδησαν τὰς G3588 χεῖρας G5495 αὐτοῦ G846 καὶ G2532 τοὺς G3588 βραχίονας G1023 ἱμᾶσιν G2438 ἑκατέρωθεν. [12] Ὡς G5613 δὲ G1161 τύπτοντες G5180 ταῖς G3588 μάστιξιν G3148 ἐκοπίασαν G2872 μηδὲν G3367 ἀνύοντες, ἀνέβαλον G306 αὐτὸν G846 ἐπὶ G1909 τὸν G3588 τροχόν· G5164 [13] περὶ G4012 ὃν G3739 κατατεινόμενος ὁ G3588 εὐγενὴς G2104 νεανίας G3494 ἔξαρθρος ἐγίνετο. G1096 [14] Καὶ G2532 κατὰ G2596 πᾶν G3956 μέλος G3196 κλώμενος G2806 ἐκακηγόρει λέγων G3004 [15] Τύραννε μιαρώτατε καὶ G2532 τῆς G3588 οὐρανίου G3770 δίκης G1349 ἐχθρὲ G2190 καὶ G2532 ὠμόφρων, οὐκ G3756 ἀνδροφονήσαντά με G3165 τοῦτον G5126 καταικίζεις τὸν G3588 τρόπον G5158 οὐδὲ G3761 ἀσεβήσαντα G764 ἀλλὰ G235 θείου G2304 νόμου G3551 προασπίζοντα. [16] Καὶ G2532 τῶν G3588 δορυφόρων λεγόντων G3004 Ὁμολόγησον G3670 φαγεῖν, G5315 ὅπως G3704 ἀπαλλαγῇς G525 τῶν G3588 βασάνων, G931 [17] ὁ G3588 δὲ G1161 εἶπεν G2036 Οὐχ G3756 οὕτως G3779 ἰσχυρὸς G2478 ὑμῶν G5216 ἐστιν G2076 ὁ G3588 τροχός, G5164 ὦ G5599 μιαροὶ διάκονοι, G1249 ὥστε G5620 μου G3450 τὸν G3588 λογισμὸν G3053 ἄγξαι· τέμνετέ μου G3450 τὰ G3588 μέλη G3196 καὶ G2532 πυροῦτέ G4448 μου G3450 τὰς G3588 σάρκας G4561 καὶ G2532 στρεβλοῦτε G4761 τὰ G3588 ἄρθρα. [18] Διὰ G1223 πασῶν G3956 γὰρ G1063 ὑμᾶς G5209 πείσω G3982 τῶν G3588 βασάνων G931 ὅτι G3754 μόνοι G3441 παῖδες G3816 Εβραίων G1445 ὑπὲρ G5228 ἀρετῆς G703 εἰσιν G1526 ἀνίκητοι. [19] Ταῦτα G5023 λέγοντι G3004 ὑπέστρωσαν G5291 πῦρ G4442 καὶ G2532 τὸ G3588 διερεθίζον τὸν G3588 τροχὸν G5164 προσεπικατέτεινον· [20] ἐμολύνετο G3435 δὲ G1161 πάντοθεν G3840 αἵματι G129 ὁ G3588 τροχός, G5164 καὶ G2532 ὁ G3588 σωρὸς τῆς G3588 ἀνθρακιᾶς G439 τοῖς G3588 τῶν G3588 ἰχώρων ἐσβέννυτο G4570 σταλαγμοῖς, καὶ G2532 περὶ G4012 τοὺς G3588 ἄξονας τοῦ G3588 ὀργάνου περιέρρεον αἱ G3588 σάρκες. G4561 [21] Καὶ G2532 περιτετμημένον G4059 ἤδη G2235 ἔχων G2192 τὸ G3588 τῶν G3588 ὀστέων G3747 πῆγμα ὁ G3588 μεγαλόφρων καὶ G2532 Αβραμιαῖος νεανίας G3494 οὐκ G3756 ἐστέναξεν, G4727 [22] ἀλλ’ G235 ὥσπερ G5618 ἐν G1722 πυρὶ G4442 μετασχηματιζόμενος G3345 εἰς G1519 ἀφθαρσίαν G861 ὑπέμεινεν G5278 εὐγενῶς τὰς G3588 στρέβλας [23] Μιμήσασθέ G3401 με, G3165 ἀδελφοί, G80 λέγων, G3004 μή G3361 μου G3450 τὸν G3588 ἀγῶνα G73 λειποτακτήσητε μηδὲ G3366 ἐξομόσησθέ μου G3450 τὴν G3588 τῆς G3588 εὐψυχίας ἀδελφότητα. G81 [24] Ἱερὰν G2413 καὶ G2532 εὐγενῆ G2104 στρατείαν G4752 στρατεύσασθε G4754 περὶ G4012 τῆς G3588 εὐσεβείας, G2150 δι’ G1223 ἧς G3739 ἵλεως G2436 ἡ G3588 δικαία G1342 καὶ G2532 πάτριος ἡμῶν G2257 πρόνοια G4307 τῷ G3588 ἔθνει G1484 γενηθεῖσα G1096 τιμωρήσειεν G5097 τὸν G3588 ἀλάστορα τύραννον. [25] Καὶ G2532 ταῦτα G5023 εἰπὼν G2036 ὁ G3588 ἱεροπρεπὴς G2412 νεανίας G3494 ἀπέρρηξεν τὴν G3588 ψυχήν. G5590 [26] Θαυμασάντων G2296 δὲ G1161 πάντων G3956 τὴν G3588 καρτεροψυχίαν αὐτοῦ G846 ἦγον G71 οἱ G3588 δορυφόροι τὸν G3588 καθ’ G2596 ἡλικίαν G2244 τοῦ G3588 προτέρου δεύτερον G1208 καὶ G2532 σιδηρᾶς G4603 ἐναρμοσάμενοι χεῖρας G5495 ὀξέσι G3691 τοῖς G3588 ὄνυξιν ὀργάνῳ καὶ G2532 καταπέλτῃ προσέδησαν αὐτόν. G846 [27] Ὡς G5613 δ’ G1161 εἰ G1487 φαγεῖν G5315 βούλοιτο G1014 πρὶν G4250 βασανίζεσθαι G928 πυνθανόμενοι G4441 τὴν G3588 εὐγενῆ G2104 γνώμην G1106 ἤκουσαν, G191 [28] ἀπὸ G575 τῶν G3588 τενόντων ταῖς G3588 σιδηραῖς G4603 χερσὶν G5495 ἐπισπασάμενοι G1986 μέχρι G3360 τῶν G3588 γενείων τὴν G3588 σάρκα G4561 πᾶσαν G3956 καὶ G2532 τὴν G3588 τῆς G3588 κεφαλῆς G2776 δορὰν οἱ G3588 παρδάλεοι θῆρες ἀπέσυρον. Ὁ G3588 δὲ G1161 ταύτην G3778 βαρέως G917 τὴν G3588 ἀλγηδόνα καρτερῶν G2594 ἔλεγεν G3004 [29] Ὡς G5613 ἡδὺς πᾶς G3956 θανάτου G2288 τρόπος G5158 διὰ G1223 τὴν G3588 πάτριον ἡμῶν G2257 εὐσέβειαν. G2150 Ἔφη G5346 τε G5037 πρὸς G4314 τὸν G3588 τύραννον [30] Οὐ G3756 δοκεῖς, G1380 πάντων G3956 ὠμότατε τύραννε, πλέον G4119 ἐμοῦ G1699 σε G4571 βασανίζεσθαι G928 ὁρῶν G3708 σου G4675 νικώμενον G3528 τὸν G3588 τῆς G3588 τυραννίδος ὑπερήφανον G5244 λογισμὸν G3053 ὑπὸ G5259 τῆς G3588 διὰ G1223 τὴν G3588 εὐσέβειαν G2150 ἡμῶν G2257 ὑπομονῆς; G5281 [31] Ἐγὼ G1473 μὲν G3303 γὰρ G1063 ταῖς G3588 διὰ G1223 τὴν G3588 ἀρετὴν G703 ἡδοναῖς G2237 τὸν G3588 πόνον G4192 ἐπικουφίζομαι, [32] σὺ G4771 δὲ G1161 ἐν G1722 ταῖς G3588 τῆς G3588 ἀσεβείας G763 ἀπειλαῖς G547 βασανίζῃ. G928 Οὐκ G3756 ἐκφεύξῃ G1628 δέ, G1161 μιαρώτατε τύραννε, τὰς G3588 τῆς G3588 θείας G2304 ὀργῆς G3709 δίκας. G1349
Septuaginta, in place of Byzantine Greek New Testament