4 Maccabees 11

1 When this one too had been mangled by the torments and died under them, the fifth leaped forward and said, 2 “I do not mean to beg off, ruler, from the torment that is borne for virtue. [a] 3 I came forward of my own accord, so that by killing me too you may owe heavenly justice punishment for more crimes. 4 You hater of virtue, you hater of mankind — what have we done that you ravage us like this? 5 Is it that we are devout toward the Maker of all things and live by his law of virtue? 6 That deserves honors, not torments — 7 if you had in you the higher feelings that belong to men, and held any hope of rescue from God. 8 But as things are, you are a stranger to God, and you make war on those who are devout toward God.” [b]

9 While he was still speaking, the spearbearers bound him and dragged him to the catapult. 10 They tied him onto it at the knees, fastened them there with iron clamps, and bent his back over the wedge of the wheel; and around the wheel his whole body was doubled back like a scorpion and pulled apart limb from limb. 11 With his breath cramped and his body choking like this, he said, 12 “Fine favors you grant us, ruler, and against your own will: you let us show, through nobler pains, our steadfastness for the law.” [c]

13 When this one too had come to his end, they brought in the sixth, a boy still. The ruler asked him whether he would eat and be let go, and he said, 14 “I am younger than my brothers in years, but in mind I am as old as they are. 15 We were born for the same things and brought up for them, and we are bound to die for them in the same way. 16 So if it seems right to you to torment me for not eating what is unclean — torment me.”

17 When he had said this, they led him to the wheel. 18 Stretched out on it, with care taken over the work, his spine pulled apart, he was burned from underneath. 19 They heated sharp spits and brought them against his back, and they ran them through his sides and burned his inward parts away.

20 And while they were tormenting him he said, “What a contest this is, and fit for holy things! So many of us brothers have been called into it for devoutness, into a training ground of pains, and we have not been beaten. [d] 21 Devout knowledge, ruler, cannot be conquered. 22 Armed with honor and goodness, I too will die with my brothers, 23 and I too bring against you a great avenging spirit, you inventor of new torments, you enemy of those who are truly devout. [e] 24 We are six boys, and we have brought your rule down. 25 You could not turn our reason, and you could not force us to eat what is unclean. Is that not your undoing? 26 Your fire is cold to us, your catapults give no pain, your violence has no strength. 27 For the spearbearers standing over us are no ruler’s men but a divine law’s, and so we keep our reason unconquered.”