¹But these five children of Meqabees, who believed, gave their bodies unto death, refusing to eat the sacrifice offered unto idols.

²For they knew that to be upright before God surpasseth being upright before men, and the wrath of God is greater than the wrath of the king.

³Knowing that this world shall utterly pass away and that the pleasures thereof shall not endure forever, they gave their bodies unto the fire that they might be saved from the fire in Heaven.

⁴Forasmuch as they knew that to be righteous in the Garden for one day is better than to live many ages in this world—and that to find Thy pardon for one hour, O LORD, is better than many ages—they gave their bodies unto the fire.

⁵What is our age? It is as a shadow, or as wax that passeth and melteth and perisheth at the edge of a fire; is it not even so?

⁶But Thou, O LORD, livest forever; Thine age is never fulfilled, and the remembrance of Thy Name endureth unto all generations.

⁷The children of Meqabees considered all these things; refusing to eat an abominable sacrifice, they chose to believe in the LORD.

⁸Knowing they would arise with the dead, and acting for the sake of the LORD—knowing that Judgment shall be judged after the Resurrection of the Council—for this cause they gave their bodies unto martyrdom.

⁹Ye people who know not nor believe that the dead shall rise—know that the Life they find hereafter shall surpass this passing earthly life. Because these five children of Meqabees together gave their bodies unto death, and because their appearance was comely, afterward they knew the Resurrection.

¹⁰Because they believed in Him, knowing all shall pass away, and because they bowed not unto idols nor ate an abominable sacrifice that giveth no sustenance, they gave their bodies unto death to find favour from the LORD.

¹¹Because they knew He would make them righteous in flesh and soul in a latter age, they esteemed not this world's savour nor the tribulation of death a grave matter, even for those who had children and wives. Knowing the Resurrection would be in flesh and soul on the Day of Advent, they gave their bodies unto death.

¹²And knowing that those who kept the Law of the LORD—together with the nobles and kings who believed the Word of the LORD and were gracious—

¹³shall live reigning for generations through many ages in the Kingdom of Heaven, where there is no sorrow, tribulation, or death. Knowing in their understanding what should come to pass hereafter—how the world melteth as wax in a fire—for this cause they gave their bodies unto death.

¹⁴Believing that their faces would shine seven times brighter than the Sun, and that they would be joyful in His love when all arise in flesh and soul, they gave their bodies unto death.