20 The mother of these young men was a wonderful woman, and she deserves to be remembered with praise. She saw all seven of her sons die on the same day, but she was brave and never stopped trusting the Lord.
21 She was a very special person, and with the feelings of a woman and the courage of a man, she encouraged each of her sons by telling them in their native language:
22 My son, I don't understand how you grew inside me. I am not the one who gave you life and breath or shaped your bodies.
23 You are sacrificing your life to obey the laws of the God who created this world and all of its people. But God will be merciful and give life and breath back to you.
24 From the way the mother was talking, King Antiochus could tell she was insulting him and sneering at him. The youngest son was still alive. So Antiochus made all kinds of promises to the boy and tried to make him change his mind. He said, “If you will forget about the teachings of your ancestors, I will make you rich and respected. You will be one of my trusted friends and a government official.”
25-26 When the boy refused to listen, the king turned to the mother, urging her to make the boy change his mind. Finally, she agreed
27 and leaned toward her son. She spoke in her native language and mocked the cruel king:My son, have pity on me! Even before you were born, you grew inside my body for nine months. Then I nursed you at my breast for three years. And until this very day, I have looked after you and taken care of you.