24. "It’s not worthy of our old age to act out such a role. Otherwise, many of the young would assume wrongly that Eleazar the 90-year-old had changed to a foreign way of life.
25. If I acted out this charade for the sake of living a moment longer, I would mislead them, and I would be defiled and dishonored in my old age.
26. Even if I escaped the punishment of human beings for the moment, I would certainly not escape the hands of the almighty—whether alive or dead.
27. So I give up my life courageously now to show myself worthy of my old age,
28. and to leave a fine example for the young people of how to die a good death with eagerness and dignity for the revered and sacred laws." After he spoke he immediately approached the torture instrument.
29. Those who had shown goodwill toward him earlier now felt hostility toward him, because the words he had spoken seemed insane to them.