2 Maccabees 6:18-20

New Catholic Bible

Accounts of Martyrdom

¹⁸ Martyrdom of Eleazar. Eleazar, one of the foremost teachers of the law, a man of advanced age and distinguished appearance, was being forced to open his mouth to eat pork. ¹⁹ But he, preferring death with honor rather than a life marked by defilement, spat it out and voluntarily went up to the torture rack, ²⁰ as should be done by all who have the courage to reject the food that it is not lawful to eat, suppressing the natural desire to save their lives.