¹The enemy of God, Tseerutsaydan, who was proud, appointed priests of falsehood and vanity for his idols.

²He would offer sacrifices unto them and pour out wine for them.

³And it seemed unto him as though the idols did verily eat and drink.

⁴When the morning brake, he would give unto them oxen, asses, and heifers; he offered sacrifices morning and evening, and he himself would eat of those defiled offerings.

⁵Furthermore, he would vex and compel other people to sacrifice unto his idols; it was not he alone and his followers who did so.

⁶And when they saw that the children of Meqabees were comely and that they worshipped their Creator, the LORD, the priests of the idols desired to lead them astray into offering sacrifices and eating of those abominable offerings; but these honoured children of Meqabees refused them.

⁷Because they kept the commandment of their father, remained steadfast in good works, and wholly feared the LORD, they would not consent.

⁸Wherefore the priests bound them, reviled them, and robbed them.

⁹They told King Tseerutsaydan that the children refused to sacrifice or bow down unto his idols.

¹⁰Because of this, the king was provoked unto wrath; he was sore grieved and commanded that they be brought before him. And when they stood before him, the king spake unto them concerning his idols, "Offer a sacrifice unto my idols."

¹¹But they answered and said unto him, "We will not answer thee in this matter, neither will we offer sacrifices unto thy defiled idols."

¹²He sought to terrify them with many threatenings, yet he was not able to prevail against them, for they had girded their hearts through faith in the LORD.

¹³He kindled a fire and cast them therein, and they gave up their bodies for the LORD.

¹⁴And after they died, they arose and appeared unto him in the night, drawing their swords while he reclined upon his royal throne; and he was smitten with great terror.

¹⁵He said, "My lords—tell me truly—what shall I do for you? Take not my life in death, and I will do all that ye command me."

¹⁶And they spake unto him all that was required of him, saying, "Remember that the LORD was thy Creator. It is the LORD who shall remove thee from this kingdom wherein thou art proud, and who shall cast thee down into the Gehenna of Fire with thy father, the Devil. Forasmuch as we worshipped our Creator, the LORD, without iniquity and did thee no wrong, yet we bowed unto Him in fear of His Divinity—even as thou didst burn us in the fire, thou also shalt meet thine end by that selfsame fire."

¹⁷For He is the one who created all things: the Earth, the Heaven, the sea, and all that is therein.

¹⁸And He is the one who created the moon, the sun, and the stars; the LORD is the author of all creation.

¹⁹For there is none other creator besides Him in Earth or Heaven; He is able to do all things, and nothing is impossible unto Him. Forasmuch as He is the one who killeth and saveth, who smiteth with tribulation and who forgiveth—because we bowed unto Him in fear of the LORD, yet thou didst burn us in fire—thou shalt finish thy travail in that selfsame manner," they spake unto him.

²⁰"Forasmuch as He is the one who ruleth Earth and Heaven, there is none that can escape from His dominion.

²¹None of the creation He hath made hath departed from His commandment, save thou, who art a malefactor; and malefactors like unto thee, whose understanding hath been hidden by thy father Satan. Thou, thy priests, and thy idols shall descend together into Gehenna, whence there is no departing for all eternity.

²²Thy teacher is Satan, who taught thee this evil work that thou mightest do evil against us; yet forasmuch as it is not thou alone who doeth this, ye shall all descend into Gehenna together.

²³For thou makest thine own self as thy Creator, the LORD, yet thou knewest not the LORD who created thee.

²⁴Thou art proud in thy idols and the work of thine hands, until the LORD maketh thee wretched. He shall convict thee of all thy transgression and iniquity that thou hast wrought in this world."