The Holy Orthodox Bible - Appendix

[Panayioti]

4th Makkabees

Chapter 14

Furthermore, they even urged them on to face the torture; so that they not only despised their pains, but also overcame their passions of brotherly affection. 2 O reason, more royal than kings, and more free than freemen! 3 How sacred and harmonious the concord of the seven brothers for the sake of piety! 4 None of the seven youths turned cowardly, or cowered away from death. 5 But all of them, as though running on the road to immortality, hastened on to death through torture. 6 Just as hands and feet move in unison with the directions of the soul, so did those holy youths, as if impelled by the immortal soul of faith, agreed to go to death for the sake of piety.

[Panayioti]

4th Makkabees

Chapter 14

Furthermore, they even urged them on to face the torture, so that they not only despised their pains, but also overcame their passions of brotherly affection. 2 O reason, more royal than kings, and more free than freemen! 3 How sacred and harmonious the concord of the seven brothers for the sake of piety! 4 None of the seven youths turned cowardly, or cowered away from death. 5 But all of them, as though running on the road to immortality, hastened on to death through torture. 6 Just as hands and feet move in unison with the directions of the soul, so did those holy youths, as if impelled by the immortal soul of faith, agreed to go to death for the sake of piety. 7 O most holy seven of harmonious brothers! For just as the seven days of creation form a circle around religion, 8 so the youths in chorus formed a circle around the seven-fold band, annulled their fear of the tortures. 9 We now shudder at the recital of the affliction of those young men; but they not only beheld, and not only heard the immediate execution of the threat, but undergoing it, persevered; and that through the pains of fire. 10 And what could be more painful than this? For the power of fire is sharp and intense, and quickly it destroyed their bodies. 11 And think it not amazing that reason had full command over these men in their tortures, when even a woman's mind despised more diverse pains. 12 For the mother of these seven young men endured the torments of each one of her boys. 13 Consider how complex is the affection of a mother’s love for her children, which draws everything toward an emotion felt deep inside her, 14 where unreasoning animals possess a similar sympathy and love for their offspring with men. 15 The tame birds build nests on the roofs of our houses to protect their young. 16 Others build their nests, and hatch their young, on the tops of mountains and in the precipices of valleys, and the holes and tops of trees, and fend off the intruder. 17 And if not able to do this, they fly circling around them in agony of affection, calling out in their own voice, and save their young in whatever manner they are able. 18 But why should we point attention to the sympathy toward children shown by unreasoning animals? 19 The very bees, at the season of honey-making, attack all who approach; and pierce with their sting, as with a sword, those who draw near their hive, and repel them even unto death. 20 But sympathy for her children did not turn aside the mother of the young men, who had the same spirit as Abraham.

[Panayioti]

4th Makkabees

Chapter 15

O reason of the children, tyrant over the passions! O religion, more desirable to the mother than her children! 2 The mother, when two alternatives were set before here, that of religion and that of the temporary safety of her seven sons, on the conditional promise of a tyrant, 3 the mother showed her great love for piety that, according to God’s promise, preserves to eternal life. 4 O in what way can I describe the affections of parents toward their children? The impress upon the character of a small child a wondrous likeness both of mind and form; especially is this true of mothers, because of their greater sympathy in their feelings towards those born of them than fathers. 5 For to the extent mothers are by nature weak in disposition and give birth to many children, they are more devoted to their children. 6 And of all mothers the mother of the seven was the most attached to her children, who in seven childbirths had deeply engendered love toward them; 7 and through her many birth pains undergone in connection with each one, was compelled to feel sympathy for them; 8 yet, through fear of God, she despised the temporary salvation of her children. 9 Not only so, but because of her sons’ nobility of character and their ready adherence to the Law, her maternal affection toward them was increased. 10 For they were both just and temperate, and courageous, and high-minded, and full of brotherly love, and of such love for their mother that even unto death they obeyed her by observing the Law. 11 And yet, though there were so many circumstances connected with love of children to draw on a mother to sympathy, in the case of none of them were the various tortures able to pervert her reason. 12 But she urged each one separately and all together on to death for religion. 13 O holy nature and parental affection, yearning of parents towards their children, nursing, and unconquerable maternal passions! 14 At the racking and burning of each one of them, their mother because of religion did not change her course. 15 She beheld her children's flesh consumed by fire, and their toes and fingers scattered on the ground, and the flesh of their heads dropped forwards down to their chins exposed like masks. 16 O thou mother, who was tried at this time with bitterer pangs more so than those birth-pangs suffered for them! 17 O woman, who alone gave birth to such perfect devotion! 18 Thy first-born, breathing his last breath, did not change your resolution; or thy second born looking at thee piteously in his tortures; nor your third born when he expired. 19 Nor when thou looked into the eyes of each of them looking sternly upon their tortures, and their nostrils foreboding death, did thou weep! 20 When thou saw the burning of children's flesh and lying upon children’s flesh, severed hands upon hands, scalped heads upon heads, dead fallen upon the dead, and when thou saw the place filled with spectators on account of the tortures of your children, thou did not lament. 21 Not so do siren melodies, or songs of swans, attract the hearers to listening as the voices of children calling upon your mother in the midst of tortures! 22 How great and how many were the torments with which the mother was then tortured, as her sons were tortured on the wheel and with hot irons! 23 But devout reason, having strengthened her heart with a man’s courage in the very midst of sufferings, enabled her to forego her temporal love of her children. 24 Although she witnessed the destruction of her seven children, and the ingenious and diverse tortures, this noble mother disregarded all of these things because of her faith in God. 25 For just as in a council chamber, beholding in her own soul vehement counselors, nature and family and love of her children, and the racking of her children, 26 this mother held two votes, one bearing death, and the other the deliverance of her children. 27 She did not lean to that which would have saved her seven sons for a short time. 28 But this daughter of God-fearing Abraham remembered his fortitude. 29 O mother of the nation, upholder of the law, and defender of religion, and who carried away the prize in the contest that took place in your heart! 30 O thou nobler in steadfastness than males, and more manly than men in endurance! 31 Just like the ark of Noah, bearing the world in the world-filling flood, bore up against the waves, 32 so thou, O guardian of the law, when overwhelmed on every side by the flood of passions, and distressed by violent winds which were the tortures of thy sons, did you nobly endure the storms that befell you for your religion.

[Panayioti]

4th Makkabees

Chapter 16

If, then, even a woman, and aged, and the mother of seven boys, endured to see her children's tortures even unto death, it must be acknowledged that religious reason is master even of the passions. 2 I have thus demonstrated that not only men have obtained mastery over their passions, but also that a woman has despised the greatest tortures. 3 And not so fierce were the lions that surround Daniel, nor was the furnace of Misael ever so ablaze with most vehement fires as was her maternal love burning inside her, when she beheld her seven sons tortured in such diverse ways. 4 But by that reason rooted in religion, the mother quenched her passions that were so many and so great. 5 For we must consider also this: that, had the woman been faint hearted, as being their mother, she would have lamented over them; and perhaps might have spoken thus, 6 O how wretched I am, and many times miserable! Who has born seven sons and have now become the mother of none! 7 O seven childbirths all in vain and seven profitless pregnancies, and fruitless giving of suck, and miserable nursings. 8 Vainly, for your sakes, O my sons, have I endured many birth-pangs, and the more difficult anxieties of your upbringing.

[Panayioti]

Chapter 16

If, then, even a woman, and aged, and the mother of seven boys, endured to see her children's tortures even unto death, it must be acknowledged that religious reason is master even of the passions. 2 I have thus demonstrated that not only men have obtained mastery over their passions, but also that a woman has despised the greatest tortures. 3 And not so fierce were the lions that surround Daniel, nor was the furnace of Misael ever so ablaze with most vehement fires as was her maternal love burning inside her, when she beheld her seven sons tortured in such diverse ways. 4 But by that reason rooted in religion, the mother quenched her passions that were so many and so great. 14 O mother, soldier of God in defense of religion, thou, aged and a female, has conquered through endurance even a tyrant; and proved stronger in deeds and words than a man. 15 For when thou was seized along with thy sons, thou stood looking upon Eleazar in torments, and said to thy sons in the Hebrew tongue, 16 O sons, noble is the contest to which you have been called as a witness for our nation, strive zealously in defense of our ancestral Law. 17 For it would be shameful if, when this old man endured these pains for the sake of religion, and that you who are young men were to be afraid of the tortures. 18 Remember that through God ye obtained existence, and have enjoyed it. 19 Therefore ye ought to bear every affliction for the sake of God. 20 For His sake as well our father Abraham was zealous to sacrifice his son Isaac, the father of our nation, and Isaac did not shuddered at the sight of his own father’s hand descending down upon him bearing a sword. 21 And the righteous Daniel was cast unto the lions; and Ananias, and Azarias, and Misael, were hurled into a furnace of fire, and, for the sake of God, endured. 22 You, then, having the same faith in God, do not be troubled. 23 For it is unreasonable that they who know religion should not withstand sufferings. 24 With these words the mother of seven exhorting and persuaded each of her sons to die rather than transgress the commandment of God. 25 And they this as well: that those who die for the sake of God, live to God, as do Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the patriarchs.

[Panayioti]

4th Makkabees

Chapter 17

Some of the guards said that when she, also, was about to be seized for the purpose of being put to death, she threw herself into the fire so that no one would touch her person. 2 O mother with the seven sons, who destroyed the violence of the tyrant, and render void his wicked intentions, and exhibited the nobility of faith! 3 Like a roof nobly set upon the pillar of thy children, you sustained, without yielding, the shockwave of the tortures. 4 Be of good cheer, therefore, O holy-minded mother! Whose hope of perseverance is firmly set with God. 5 Not so majestic does the moon stand with the stars in heaven, as thou stand, lighting the way to piety for your seven star-like sons, honored by God and fixed in heaven with them. 6 For thy bearing of children was from our father Abraham. 7 And had it been lawful for us to paint as on * a tablet, the story of our piety, would not those who looked upon it shudder at beholding the mother of seven sons enduring, for the sake of religion, various tortures even unto death? 8 Indeed, it would be appropriate to have inscribed upon their tomb itself, as a memorial to those members of our nation, the following word:

9 HERE LIE BURIED AN AGED PRIEST, AND AN AGED WOMAN, AND HER SEVEN SONS, THROUGH THE VIOLENCE OF A TYRANT, WHO WISHED TO DESTROY THE POLITY OF THE HEBREWS. 10 THESE ALSO VINDICATED THEIR NATION, LOOKING UNTO GOD, AND ENDUREING TORTURES EVEN UNTO DEATH.

11 For it was truly a divine contest in which they were engaged. 12 For at that time virtue gave the prizes and tested them for their endurance. The award was immortality in eternal life. 13 Eleazar was the first contestant, and the mother of the seven sons entered the contest, and the brothers contended. 14 The tyrant was the antagonist, and the world and the human race were the spectators. 15 Reverence for God conquered, and crowned her own athletes.

[Panayioti]

4th Makkabees

Chapter 17

Some of the guards said that when she, also, was about to be seized for the purpose of being put to death, she threw herself into the fire so that no one would touch her person. 2 O mother with the seven sons, who destroyed the violence of the tyrant, and render void his wicked intentions, and exhibited the nobility of faith! 3 Like a roof nobly set upon the pillar of thy children, you sustained, without yielding, the shockwave of the tortures. 4 Be of good cheer, therefore, O holy-minded mother! Whose hope of perseverance is firmly set with God. 5 Not so majestic does the moon stand with the stars in heaven, as thou stand, lighting the way to piety for your seven star-like sons, honored by God and fixed in heaven with them. 6 For thy bearing of children was from our * father Abraham. 7 And had it been lawful for us to paint as on * a tablet, the story of our piety, would not those who looked upon it shudder at beholding the mother of seven sons enduring, for the sake of religion, various tortures even unto death? 8 Indeed, it would be appropriate to have inscribed upon their tomb itself, as a memorial to those members of our nation, the following word:

9 HERE LIE BURIED AN AGED PRIEST, AND AN AGED WOMAN, AND HER SEVEN SONS, THROUGH THE VIOLENCE OF A TYRANT, WHO WISHED TO DESTROY THE POLITY OF THE HEBREWS. 10 THESE ALSO VINDICATED THEIR NATION, LOOKING UNTO GOD, AND ENDUREING TORTURES EVEN UNTO DEATH.

11 For it was truly a divine contest in which they were engaged. 12 For at that time virtue gave the prizes and tested them for their endurance. The award was immortality in eternal life. 13 Eleazar was the first contestant, and the mother of the seven sons entered the contest, and the brothers contended. 14 The tyrant was the antagonist, and the world and the human race were the spectators. 15 Reverence for God conquered, and crowned her own athletes.16 Who did not marvel at those champions of the divine legislation? Who were not astounded? 17 The tyrant himself, and all his council, marveled at their endurance; 18 through which, also, they now stand before the divine throne, and live a blessed life. 19 For Moses saith, All who are sanctified are under thine hands.20 These, therefore, having been sanctified for the sake of God, have been honored not only with this honor, but that also by their means the enemy did not prevail over our nation; 21 and that the tyrant was punished, and their country purified. For they became, as it were, a ransom for the sin of the nation; and Divine Providence saved Israel, that previously had been afflicted, through the blood of those pious ones, and * expiation by their death. 23 For the tyrant Antiochus, when he saw the courage of their virtue and their endurance in torture, proclaimed this kind of endurance as an example to his soldiers. 24 And this made them brave and courageous for land battles and for sieges; and he pillaged and conquered all his enemies.

* The phrase “a tablet” is lacking in the Greek.

* Codex Alexandrinus reads: “servant”.

* i.e. Atonement brought about by their death.

[Panayioti]

4th Makkabees

Chapter 18

O Israelite children, descendants of the seed of Abraham, obey this Law, and act piously in every way. 2 Knowing that religious reason is master of the passions, not only of sufferings from within, but also of those from outside.3 When those persons giving up their bodies to pains for the sake of religion, were not only admired by men, but were deemed worthy of a divine inheritance. 4 And the nation through them obtained peace, and having renewed the observance of the Law in their country, pillaged their enemies. 5 The tyrant Antiochus was both punished upon earth, and is punished now that he is dead; for when he was quite unable to compel the Israelites to adopt foreign customs, and to desert their manner of life from their ancestral customs, he departed from Jerusalem, and marched against the Persians.6 The mother of the seven boys spoke these righteous sayings to her children: 7 I was a pure virgin, and went not beyond my father's house; but I guarded the built rib. 8 No seducer or corrupter on a desert plain corrupted me, nor did the seducer, the deceitful snake, despoil my chaste virginity. 9 and I remained with my husband during the time of my maturity; and when these sons of mine came of age their father died. Blessed was he, for he lived a life marked out by the blessing of children, and he was not grieved with a period of loss of children. 10 While he was still with you, he taught you the Law and the prophets.11 He used to read to you the murdering of Abel by Cain, and the offering up of Isaac as a whole burnt offering, and the imprisonment of Joseph. 12 He used to tell you of the zealous Phineas; and informed you of Ananias and Azarias, and Misael in the fire. 13 And he used to praise Daniel, who was in the den of lions, and pronounce him blessed.14 And he used to remind you of the scripture of Esaias, which saith, Even if thou pass through the fire, it shall not consume thee. 15 He chanted to you David, the psalmist, who saith, Many are the afflictions of the righteous. 16 He declared the proverbs of Solomon, who saith, He is a tree of life to all those who do His will. 17 He used to verify Ezekiel, who said, Shall these dry bones live? 18 For he did not forget to teach you the song which Moses taught, proclaiming, I will kill, and I will make to live. 19 This is your life, and the length of your days.20 O that bitter, and yet not bitter, day when the bitter tyrant of the Greeks, quenching fire with fire in his cruel caldrons, brought with boiling rage the seven sons of the daughter of Abraham to the catapult, and again to his tortures! 21 He pierced the pupils of their eyes, and cut out their tongues, and put them to death with diverse tortures. 22 Wherefore, divine retribution pursued and will pursue the accursed tyrant. 23 But the children of Abraham, along with their victorious mother, are assembled together into the choir of their fathers, and have received pure and immortal souls from God, 24 to Whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.
____________________________________

Its is FINISHED! The Holy Orthodox Bible, Volume V, the Major Prophets & 4th Makkabees is now complete!
What a ride.

Peter A. Papoutsis

[Panayioti]

Hi Everybody:

Just wanted to let everybody know that I am taking some time off to recoup and spend some time with my family. This has been an exhausing project so its time to relax before the next big push of The Holy Orthodox Bible, Vol.II(b) The Historical Books.

See all of you in a few weeks. Take care and God bless.

Peter A. Papoutsis

[Panayioti]

Hello All:

For those that are wondering - yes, I am still alive and working on the HOB. Formatting issues have been plauging me, but I have done the best I could without spending alot, so I hope and pray for people's forgiveness is a few mistakes have crept in in regards to formatting.

As for the HOB II(b) starting up on this thread or a new one - please be patient as career and family take precedece, and right know they are in full swing until after Halloween. So in between Halloween and Thanksgiving I should start the new thread with new posting.

I hope all have injoyed what I have done and posted so far, and if not that's ok. I'll see you in a few days.

Peter A. Papoutsis