3 Maccabees 5:49-51

New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition

⁴⁹ they thought that this was their last moment of life, the end of their most miserable suspense, and giving way to lamentation and groans they kissed each other, embracing relatives and falling into one another’s arms^[a]—parents and children, mothers and daughters, and others with babies at their breasts who were drawing their last milk. ⁵⁰ Nevertheless, when they considered the help that they had received before from heaven, they prostrated themselves with one accord on the ground, removing the babies from their breasts, ⁵¹ and cried out in a very loud voice, imploring the Ruler over every power to manifest himself and be merciful to them, as they stood now at the gates of Hades.