“... Clearly, 4 Maccabees expresses the martyrs’ future hopes in different terms than 2 Maccabees. However, it does not necessarily follow that Auctor denies a bodily resurrection simply because he omits his source’s explicit resurrection language. Auctor writes with a different purpose, to stress the superiority of devout reason over the passions, and his portrayal of the martyrdoms directly serves this aim (1:7–12; 6:31–35). [...] Scholars often overlook or underestimate the significance of 18:17 for determining 4 Maccabees’ future hope. In 18:10–19, Auctor summarizes the father’s scriptural teaching to his sons concerning the suffering, divine protection, and vindication which comes to the righteous. According to 18:17, the father “used to confirm Ezekiel, who said, ‘Shall these dry bones live?’” This citation follows Ezekiel 37:3 LXX, with the adjective “dry” (ξηρά) taken from 37:4. Ezekiel’s prophecy of Yahweh breathing life into dry bones presents to hopeless, exiled Israel (cf. 37:11) a powerful hope of new creation (37:5). Israel will return to her land (37:14, 21), be empowered by the divine Spirit (37:11, 14), cleansed from defilement (37:23), and experience God’s presence and renewed covenant (37:23, 27–28). ...”