4 Maccabees 1:9-11

Common English Bible

⁹ By ignoring their pain to the point of death, all of these persons showed that clear thinking had complete control of their emotions. ¹⁰ On the anniversary of these events, it is appropriate for me to praise the moral achievements of those who died along with their mother to preserve their virtuous character. I would also call them fortunate because of the honor in which they are held. ¹¹ All people, including the ones who tortured them, were amazed at their courage and patient endurance. What’s more, they caused the defeat of the tyranny that had oppressed their nation. They conquered the tyrant by their endurance. As a result, their homeland was purged of its filth through their actions.