5. After the brother was maimed and utterly helpless, the king commanded him to be brought to the fire and fried alive. Although the smoke from the pan had spread widely, the brothers and their mother encouraged each other to die honorably, saying,
6. "The Lord God truly watches over us and will come to our aid. Moses testified to this in his song against them, saying, ‘God will have compassion on his servants.’"
7. After the first brother died in this manner, they led forward the second one with mockery. They ripped off the skin of his head along with the hair and demanded, "Will you eat before every part of your body is punished limb by limb?"
8. But he answered in his native language, "Not at all." Therefore, this brother also received in turn the same punishment as the first.
9. With his last breath he said, "You, who are marked out for vengeance, may take our present life, but the king of the universe for whose laws we die will resurrect us again to eternal life."
10. After this, the third one was mocked. When it was demanded, he put out his tongue quickly, extended his hands courageously,
11. and stated with dignity, "I have received these limbs from heaven, and I give them up for the sake of God’s laws. But I hope to recover them from God again."
12. The king and those with him marveled at the young man’s spirit, since he considered his agonies nothing.
13. After this one had died, the tormenters tortured the fourth brother as well.
14. When the end was approaching, he said, "Death at the hands of humans is preferable, since we look forward to the hope that God gives of being raised by him. But for you there will be no resurrection to life."
15. Immediately afterward, they led the fifth brother forward and began to torture him.
16. While looking at the king he said, "You, though human, have power among human beings and do what you want. But don’t think that God has abandoned our people.
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.