2 Maccabees 6:18-31
Psalms 3:2-7
Luke 19:1-10
2 Maccabees 6:18-31
(18) Eleazar, one of the principal scribes, a man already well stricken in years, and of a noble countenance, was compelled to open his mouth to eat swine’s flesh. (19) But he, welcoming death with renown rather than life with pollution, advanced of his own accord to the instrument of torture, but first spat forth the flesh, (20) coming forward as men ought to come that are resolute to repel such things as not even for the natural love of life is it lawful to taste. (21) But those who had the charge of that forbidden sacrificial feast took the man aside, for the acquaintance which of old times they had with him, and privately implored him to bring flesh of his own providing, such as was befitting for him to use, and to make as if he did eat of the flesh from the sacrifice, as had been commanded by the king; (22) that by so doing he might be delivered from death, and for his ancient friendship with them might be treated kindly. (23) But he, having formed a high resolve, and one that became his years, and the dignity of old age, and the gray hairs which he had reached with honor, and his excellent education from a child, or rather that became the holy laws of God’s ordaining, declared his mind accordingly, bidding them quickly send him to Hades. (24) For it becomes not our years to dissemble, said he, that through this many of the young should suppose that Eleazar, the man of fourscore years and ten, had gone over to an alien religion; (25) and so they, by reason of my dissimulation, and for the sake of this brief and momentary life, should be led astray because of me, and thus I get to myself a pollution and a stain of my old age. (26) For even if for the present time I shall remove from me the punishment of men, yet shall I not escape the hands of the Almighty, either living or dead. (27) Wherefore, by manfully parting with my life now, I will show myself worthy of my old age, (28) and leave behind a noble ensample to the young to die willingly and nobly a glorious death for the reverend and holy laws. And when he had said these words, he went straightway to the instrument of torture. (29) And when they changed the good will they bare him a little before into ill will, because these words of his were, as they thought, sheer madness, (30) and when he was at the point to die with the stripes, he groaned aloud and said, To the Lord, that has the holy knowledge, it is manifest that, whereas I might have been delivered from death, I endure sore pains in my body by being scourged; but in soul I gladly suffer these things for my fear of him. (31) So this man also died after this manner, leaving his death for an ensample of nobleness and a memorial of virtue, not only to the young but also to the great body of his nation.
Psalms 3:2-7
(2) Many there are who say of my soul, “There is no help for him in God.” Selah. (3) But you, Yahweh, are a shield around me, my glory, and the one who lifts up my head. (4) I cry to Yahweh with my voice, and he answers me out of his holy hill. Selah. (5) I laid myself down and slept. I awakened; for Yahweh sustains me. (6) I will not be afraid of tens of thousands of people who have set themselves against me on every side. (7) Arise, Yahweh! Save me, my God! For you have struck all of my enemies on the cheek bone. You have broken the teeth of the wicked.
Luke 19:1-10
(1) He entered and was passing through Jericho. (2) There was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector, and he was rich. (3) He was trying to see who Jesus was, and couldn’t because of the crowd, because he was short. (4) He ran on ahead, and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was going to pass that way. (5) When Jesus came to the place, he looked up and saw him, and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for today I must stay at your house.” (6) He hurried, came down, and received him joyfully. (7) When they saw it, they all murmured, saying, “He has gone in to lodge with a man who is a sinner.” (8) Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, half of my goods I give to the poor. If I have wrongfully exacted anything of anyone, I restore four times as much.” (9) Jesus said to him, “Today, salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham. (10) For the Son of Man came to seek and to save that which was lost.”
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