17. Just wait and observe his great strength, when God will torture you and your children."
18. After him they brought forward the sixth brother. As he was about to die, he said, "Don’t deceive yourself in vain. We suffer these things because of our own sins against our God. Things worthy of wonder have happened.
19. But don’t think you will escape unpunished after trying to fight against God."
20. The mother was particularly amazing and worthy of an honorable memory. She watched her seven sons die in the course of a single day but accepted it with a stout heart because of her hope in the Lord.
21. She encouraged each of them in their native language. Filled with noble thoughts, she fired up her womanly reasoning with manly courage, saying to them,
22. "I don’t know how you grew in my womb, nor did I grant the breath of life to you or arrange what makes you who you are.
23. For this reason, the creator of the world—who brought about the beginning of humanity and searched out the origin of all things—will again mercifully give you both spirit and life, since you disregard yourselves because of his laws."