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1It was not long before King Antiochus sent Geron of Athens to our nation with the following orders:[#6.1 Or “an old man named Athenaeus,” or “a senator from Athens,” or “an old man from Athens.” Some ancient manuscripts have “a senator from Antioch.”]
3After this, those foreigners abused our people so cruelly that we almost lost hope.
4They held wild parties and did other disgusting things in the temple, such as having sex with prostitutes and setting up vulgar idols.[#6.4 The Greek has “brought in things that were against our Law.”]
5Even our altar was piled high with unclean sacrifices that were forbidden by our Law.
6It became a crime to worship on the Sabbath, or to celebrate our ancient festivals, or even to admit that you were a Jew.
7Each month, the foreigners celebrated the king's birthday. And during the ceremony they cruelly forced our people to eat the insides of sacrificed animals. Besides this, they made us wear sprigs of ivy in our hair and walk in parades whenever they celebrated a festival to honor the god Dionysus.[#3 Macc 2.29.; #6.7 The Jews were not supposed to eat insides of sacrificed animals. These had to be completely burned on the altar (Leviticus 1.9) or at some other place (Leviticus 4.11,12); the fat around them could not be eaten, because it belonged to God (Leviticus 3.3,4,8-10). However, in pagan sacrifices, the heart, lungs, liver, and kidneys were eaten at the beginning of the sacrifice by the worshipers.; #6.7 The Greek god of wine (see 14.33).]
8About this time, the citizens of Ptolemais suggested that the same law be made for some nearby Greek towns, and it was done. The law required these towns to force Jews to eat the meat of sacrifices.[#6.8 One possible meaning for the difficult Greek text.]
9Death would be the penalty for refusing to live like a Greek.
Our people now realized that a time of dreadful suffering had arrived.
10For example, some soldiers arrested two Jewish mothers whose baby boys had been circumcised. They hung each child from its mother's breasts, then led the women in broad daylight through the town, before throwing them from the city wall.[#1 Macc 1.60,61.]
11One Sabbath a group of Jews gathered secretly to worship in caves not far from Jerusalem. But someone informed Philip the governor, who then had everyone burned alive. These Jews respected this most holy day so much, that they did not even try to defend themselves.[#1 Macc 2.32-38.; #6.11 Ruler of Jerusalem (see 5.22).]
12My dear readers, please don't be depressed by these sad stories. Remember that these sufferings were not to destroy us, but to instruct us.
13In fact, God shows his kindness by punishing sinners as soon as they disobey him, rather than waiting until later.
14When God deals with other nations, he waits patiently for them to sin terribly before he punishes them. But God treats us differently.
15He punishes us right away—before our sins are too great.
16Our God never stops being kind to us, his chosen people. He lets our sufferings teach us to do right, but he never deserts us.
17I have said these things to remind you of God's way of dealing with us. Now back to my story.
18Eleazar was an elderly gentleman and a highly respected teacher of the Law. One day some men forced his mouth open and tried to make him eat the meat of a pig.[#Lv 11.4-8; 3 Macc 6.1.; #4 Macc 5.1—7.23.; #6.18 The Law of Moses did not allow Jews to eat pigs (see Leviticus 11.7; Deuteronomy 14.8).]
19Eleazar chose to die with honor rather than to live with shame. So he willingly walked to the place of torture, spitting out the meat as he went.
20This is a fine example of courage for everyone who is willing to refuse unclean food, even if it means death.
21The men in charge of the lawless sacrifice had known Eleazar for a long time. So they took him aside and said to him in private:[#4 Macc 6.15.]
23But Eleazar did the only honorable thing a man of his age and reputation could do. He firmly made up his mind to obey God's Law, just as he had always done. And so he immediately said:
When Eleazar had finished speaking, he walked straight to the place of torture.
29But the same men who had earlier been kind to him now sneered, because they thought he was talking nonsense.
30When Eleazar had been beaten almost to the point of death, he groaned and shouted, “The Lord God knows everything! He knows I could have escaped this terrible torture and death, but I have gladly suffered for him, because I honor him with all my heart and soul.”
31Eleazar's brave and honorable death set an example for our whole nation, and especially for our young people.