2Maccabees:6

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* Not long after this the king sent an old man of Athens to compel the Jews to depart from the laws of their fathers , and not to live after the laws of God : * And to pollute also the temple in Jerusalem , and to call it the temple of Jupiter Olympius ; and that in Garizim , of Jupiter the Defender of strangers , as they did desire that dwelt in the place . * The coming in of this mischief was sore and grievous to the people : * For the temple was filled with riot and revelling by the Gentiles , who dallied with harlots , and had to do with women within the circuit of the holy places , and besides that brought in things that were not lawful . * The altar also was filled with profane things , which the law forbiddeth . * Neither was it lawful for a man to keep sabbath days or ancient fasts , or to profess himself at all to be a Jew . * And in the day of the king 's birth every month they were brought by bitter constraint to eat of the sacrifices ; and when the fast of Bacchus was kept , the Jews were compelled to go in procession to Bacchus , carrying ivy . * Moreover there went out a decree to the neighbour cities of the heathen , by the suggestion of Ptolemee , against the Jews , that they should observe the same fashions , and be partakers of their sacrifices : * And whoso would not conform themselves to the manners of the Gentiles should be put to death . Then might a man have seen the present misery . * For there were two women brought , who had circumcised their children ; whom when they had openly led round about the city , the babes handing at their breasts , they cast them down headlong from the wall . * And others , that had run together into caves near by , to keep the sabbath day secretly , being discovered by Philip , were all burnt together , because they made a conscience to help themselves for the honour of the most sacred day . * Now I beseech those that read this book , that they be not discouraged for these calamities , but that they judge those punishments not to be for destruction , but for a chastening of our nation . * For it is a token of his great goodness , when wicked doers are not suffered any long time , but forthwith punished . * For not as with other nations , whom the Lord patiently forbeareth to punish , till they be come to the fulness of their sins , so dealeth he with us , * Lest that , being come to the height of sin , afterwards he should take vengeance of us . * And therefore he never withdraweth his mercy from us : and though he punish with adversity , yet doth he never forsake his people . * But let this that we at spoken be for a warning unto us . And now will we come to the declaring of the matter in a few words . * Eleazar , one of the principal scribes , an aged man , and of a well favoured countenance , was constrained to open his mouth , and to eat swine 's flesh . * But he , choosing rather to die gloriously , than to live stained with such an abomination , spit it forth , and came of his own accord to the torment , * As it behoved them to come , that are resolute to stand out against such things , as are not lawful for love of life to be tasted . * But they that had the charge of that wicked feast , for the old acquaintance they had with the man , taking him aside , besought him to bring flesh of his own provision , such as was lawful for him to use , and make as if he did eat of the flesh taken from the sacrifice commanded by the king ; * That in so doing he might be delivered from death , and for the old friendship with them find favour . * But he began to consider discreetly , and as became his age , and the excellency of his ancient years , and the honour of his gray head , whereon was come , and his most honest education from a child , or rather the holy law made and given by God : therefore he answered accordingly , and willed them straightways to send him to the grave . * For it becometh not our age , said he , in any wise to dissemble , whereby many young persons might think that Eleazar , being fourscore years old and ten , were now gone to a strange religion ; * And so they through mine hypocrisy , and desire to live a little time and a moment longer , should be deceived by me , and I get a stain to mine old age , and make it abominable . * For though for the present time I should be delivered from the punishment of men : yet should I not escape the hand of the Almighty , neither alive , nor dead . * Wherefore now , manfully changing this life , I will shew myself such an one as mine age requireth , * And leave a notable example to such as be young to die willingly and courageously for the honourable and holy laws . And when he had said these words , immediately he went to the torment : * They that led him changing the good will they bare him a little before into hatred , because the foresaid speeches proceeded , as they thought , from a desperate mind . * But when he was ready to die with stripes , he groaned , and said , It is manifest unto the Lord , that hath the holy knowledge , that whereas I might have been delivered from death , I now endure sore pains in body by being beaten : but in soul am well content to suffer these things , because I fear him . * And thus this man died , leaving his death for an example of a noble courage , and a memorial of virtue , not only unto young men , but unto all his nation .

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