Those in charge of that unlawful feast of sacrificial entrails, because they had known the man for a long time, took him aside privately and urged him to bring meat of his own providing, such as he was allowed to eat, and to pretend that he was eating the sacrificial meat the king had ordered,
In context
19But he, preferring an honorable death to a life of defilement, went of his own free will to the rack, 20spitting the meat out, in the way that those must come forward who have the fortitude to refuse what it is unlawful to taste, even for love of life. 21Those in charge of that unlawful feast of sacrificial entrails, because they had known the man for a long time, took him aside privately and urged him to bring meat of his own providing, such as he was allowed to eat, and to pretend that he was eating the sacrificial meat the king had ordered, 22so that by doing this he would escape death and be treated humanely because of his long friendship with them. 23But he made a noble resolve, worthy of his years and of the eminence of old age, of the gray hair he had earned and that crowned him with distinction, of the flawless conduct he had kept since childhood, and still more of the holy legislation that God established; and he answered accordingly, telling them to send him on to Hades at once.
