4. We consider your pity, which offers safety at the cost of breaking our Law, to be more bitter than death.
5. You are trying to frighten us with threats of torture and death as if you’ve learned nothing from Eleazar just a short while ago.
6. If the old men among the Hebrews fulfilled their duty toward God by enduring torture for the sake of godly character, it would be even more appropriate for us who are young to die with contempt for the same torture that our aged teacher defeated.
7. So put us to the test, tyrant! Even if you are able to kill us because of our godly character, don’t think that you can truly harm us by these tortures.
8. We will gain the awards of moral character through this suffering, and we will be with God, for whose sake we suffer.
9. You, however, will be tortured forever by divine justice, as your cruel thirst for blood deserves."
10. When they had said these things, the tyrant was not only upset by their disobedience but was also infuriated by their ungratefulness.
11. He gave the word, and the soldiers brought the oldest brother forward. They tore off his clothing and tied his arms and hands on each side with leather straps.
12. The soldiers beat him with whips until they were completely tired out, without accomplishing anything. So they tied him to the wheel.
13. They stretched the honorable young man around this instrument until all his limbs were pulled out of joint.
14. Although every part of his body was broken, he spoke out against the tyrant, saying,
15. "You bloodstained tyrant, you are an enemy of divine justice, and you have the mind of a savage! You don’t abuse me like this because I have murdered someone or acted in a way that wasn’t godly but because I protect God’s Law!"
16. The guards said, "Say that you will eat pork so that you can be set free from these tortures!"
17. But he replied, "You dirty thugs! The wheel is not stretched tight enough to choke off my mind! Keep cutting my limbs, burning my flesh, and twisting my joints.