4 Maccabees 5:14-16

Common English Bible

Eleazar’s defense

¹⁴ When the tyrant had finished pressuring Eleazar to eat forbidden food, Eleazar asked to say something. ¹⁵ Antiochus gave him permission, and Eleazar began to give the following speech:

¹⁶ “Antiochus, we are persuaded to live our lives in line with the divine Law! We think that nothing is more compelling than our obedience to the Law.