38 This one, for a long time, held on to his purpose of continuing in Judaism, and he was content to hand over body and life, so that he might persevere in it.
39 Then Nicanor, being willing to manifest the hatred that he held for the Jews, sent five hundred soldiers to apprehend him.
40 For he thought, if he mistreated him, it would bring great disaster upon the Jews.
41 Now, as the group sought to rush into his house, and to break open the door, and wanting even to bring in fire, as he was about to be apprehended, he struck himself with the sword:
42 choosing to prefer to die nobly rather than to become subject to sinners, or to suffer unworthy injustices against his birth.
43 But, since he had, in haste, not obtained the certitude of a decisive wound, and the crowd was breaking in the doors, he, running boldly to the wall, manfully threw himself down upon the crowd.
44 But they quickly provided a place for his fall, so he landed at the middle of the neck.