2 MeqabyanEthiopian Orthodox TewahedoAccepted by Some TraditionsGe'ez tradition, commonly transmitted through AmharicShare2 Meqabyan 13Wikisource community English translation - EnglishMoreVersion - 1 availableWikisource community English translationLanguageEnglishEspañol‹2 Meqabyan 12 Meqabyan 22 Meqabyan 32 Meqabyan 42 Meqabyan 52 Meqabyan 62 Meqabyan 72 Meqabyan 82 Meqabyan 92 Meqabyan 102 Meqabyan 112 Meqabyan 122 Meqabyan 132 Meqabyan 142 Meqabyan 152 Meqabyan 162 Meqabyan 172 Meqabyan 182 Meqabyan 192 Meqabyan 202 Meqabyan 21›2 Meqabyan 132 Meqabyan 13ListenPlay this chapter in spoken English.Save chapterListen to chapter1But these five children of Meqabees, who believed, gave their bodies to death, refusing to eat the sacrifice offered to idols. 2For they knew that to be upright with God surpasses being upright with men, and God's anger is greater than the king's anger. 3Knowing that this world will totally pass away and that its pleasures will not last forever, they gave their bodies to the fire so they might be saved from the fire in Heaven. 4As they knew that being righteous in the Garden (Paradise) for one day is better than living many eras in this world—and that finding Your pardon for one hour, O Lord, is better than many eras—they gave their bodies to the fire. 5What is our era? It is like a shadow, or like passing wax that melts and perishes at the edge of a fire; is it not like that? 6But You, Lord, live forever; Your era is never fulfilled, and the mention of Your Name is for generations to come. 7The children of Meqabees thought on all this; refusing to eat a disgusting sacrifice, they chose to believe in the Lord. 8Knowing they would arise with the dead, and acting because of the Lord—knowing that Judgment shall be judged after the Resurrection of the Council—for this reason they gave their bodies to martyrdom. 9You people who do not know or believe that the dead will rise—know that the Life they find later will surpass this passing earthly life. Because these five children of Meqabees together gave their bodies to death, and because their appearance was handsome, afterward they knew the Resurrection. 10Because they believed in Him, knowing all shall pass, and because they did not bow to idols or eat a disgusting sacrifice that gives no support, they gave their bodies to death to find thanks from the Lord. 11Because they knew He would make them righteous in flesh and soul in a later era, they did not consider this world's flavor or the tribulation of death a serious thing, 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 to death. 12And knowing that those who kept the Lord's Law—along with the nobles and kings who believed the Lord's Word and were kind— 13shall live reigning for generations for many eras in the Kingdom of Heaven, where there is no sadness, tribulation, or death. Knowing in their reasoning what would be done later—how the world melts like wax in a fire—for this reason they gave their bodies to 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 to death. ‹Previous chapter2 Meqabyan 12Next chapter2 Meqabyan 14›Similar passagesBy tradition and source labelFind similarCompare selectedCompare with similarAsk Deep ThoughtSelect passages to search for parallels.Tap any verse to select it, then compare selected passages or ask Deep Thought. Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0