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4 Maccabees
4 Maccabees — Brenton historical English
Unverified edition · Chapter 13
Reading language: eng · Original language (catalog): Ancient source language(s)
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Chapter 13 · All reading sections
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4 Maccabees 13:1
If then, the seven brethren despised troubles even unto death, it is confessed on all sides that righteous reasoning is absolute master over the passions.
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4 Maccabees 13:2
For just as if, had they as slaves to the passions eaten of the unholy, we should have said that they had been conquered by them;
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4 Maccabees 13:3
now it is not so: but by means of the reasoning which is praised by God, they mastered their passions.
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4 Maccabees 13:4
And it is impossible to overlook the leadership of reflection: for it gained the victory over both passions and troubles.
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4 Maccabees 13:5
How, then, can we avoid according to these men mastery of passion through right reasoning, since they drew not back from the pains of fire?
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4 Maccabees 13:6
For just as by means of towers projecting in front of harbours men break the threatening waves, and thus assure a still course to vessels entering port,
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4 Maccabees 13:7
so that seven-towered right-reasoning of the young men, securing the harbour of religion, conquered the intemperance of passions.
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4 Maccabees 13:8
For having arranged a holy choir of piety, they encouraged one another, saying,
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4 Maccabees 13:9
Brothers, may we die brotherly for the law. Let us imitate the three young men in Assyria who despised the equally afflicting furnace.
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4 Maccabees 13:10
Let us not be cowards in the manifestation of piety.
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4 Maccabees 13:11
And one said, Courage, brother; and another, Nobly endure.
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4 Maccabees 13:12
And another, Remember of what stock ye are; and by the hand of what father Isaac endured to be slain for the sake of piety.
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4 Maccabees 13:13
And one and all, looking on each other serene and confident, said, Let us sacrifice with all our heart our souls to God who gave them, and employ our bodies for the keeping of the law.
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4 Maccabees 13:14
Let us not fear him who thinketh he killeth;
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4 Maccabees 13:15
for great is the trial of soul and danger of eternal torment laid up for those who transgress the commandment of God.
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4 Maccabees 13:16
Let us arm ourselves, therefore, in the abnegation of the divine reasoning.
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4 Maccabees 13:17
If we suffer thus, Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob will receive us, and all the fathers will commend us.
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4 Maccabees 13:18
And as each one of the brethren was haled away, the rest exclaimed, Disgrace us not, O brother, nor falsify those who have died before you.
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4 Maccabees 13:19
Now you are not ignorant of the charm of brotherhood, which the Divine and all-wise Providence has imparted through fathers to children, and has engendered through the mother's womb.
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4 Maccabees 13:20
In which these brothers having remained an equal time, and having been formed for the same period, and been increased by the same blood, and having been perfected through the same principle of life,
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4 Maccabees 13:21
and having been brought forth at equal intervals, and having sucked milk from the same fountains, hence their brotherly souls are reared up lovingly together;
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4 Maccabees 13:22
and increase the more powerfully by reason of this simultaneous rearing, and by daily intercourse, and by other education, and exercise in the law of God.
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4 Maccabees 13:23
Brotherly love being thus sympathetically constituted, the seven brethren had a more sympathetic mutual harmony.
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4 Maccabees 13:24
For being educated in the same law, and practising the same virtues, and reared up in a just course of life, they increased this harmony with each other.
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4 Maccabees 13:25
For a like ardour for what is right and honourable increased their fellow-feeling towards each other.
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4 Maccabees 13:26
For it acting along with religion, made their brotherly feeling more desirable to them.
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4 Maccabees 13:27
And yet, although nature and intercourse and virtuous morals increased their brotherly love, those who were left endured to behold their brethren, who were ill-used for their religion, tortured even unto death.
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Recorded completeness: All 18 chapter files and 483 supplied numbered verses of this identified English witness; all supplied footnotes retained. No claim that this translation is an original-language source or HSLT. This independent historical edition retains its own source readings.. Available reading sections are listed below.
Available body coverage · eng
18 chapter/reading unit(s) · 483 nonempty passage record(s).
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- Chapter 1 · 35 passage record(s)
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