The angel reveals his identity

12 When the wedding feast was over, Tobit called his son Tobias to him and said, “My child, make sure to give the man who went with you his wages, and give him a bonus as well.”

⁵ So Tobit called Raphael in and said, “Take as your wages half of everything you had when you came, and go in good health.”

⁶ Then Raphael spoke to them privately, saying, “Praise God and tell all living beings about the good things he has done for you, praising and singing to his name. Make God’s words known in an honorable way to everyone, and don’t fail to acknowledge him. ⁷ It’s good to hide a king’s secret from view, and good to reveal God’s works and bear witness to them with due respect.

“Do what’s good, and evil won’t overtake you. ⁸ Prayer with fasting^[a] is good, and so is giving to the poor with righteousness. The possession of a little with righteousness is better than much with injustice.^[b] Giving to the poor is better than storing up gold. ⁹ Giving to the poor saves from death, and it washes away every sin. Those who give to the poor will feel satisfied with life, ¹⁰ but those who commit sin and injustice are their own worst enemies.

¹¹ “I will tell you the whole truth, and I will keep nothing secret from you. I have already said to you, ‘It’s good to hide a king’s secret from view, and good to reveal God’s works in an honorable way.’ ¹² So when you and Sarah prayed, it was I who brought the record of your prayer into God’s glorious presence, and likewise when you used to bury the dead, ¹³ and when you didn’t hesitate to get up and leave your dinner to go and bury the corpse. ¹⁴ I was sent to test you then, and at the same time God sent me to heal you and Sarah, your son’s bride.^{[c] 15} I am Raphael, one of the seven angels who stand ready and who enter the Lord’s glorious presence.”

²⁰ Now praise the Lord here on earth and acknowledge God. Notice that I’m ascending to the one who sent me. So record everything that has happened to you.” Then Raphael ascended.

Psalm 65

For the music leader. A psalm of David. A song.

³⁸ As he was teaching, he said, “Watch out for the legal experts. They like to walk around in long robes. They want to be greeted with honor in the markets. ³⁹ They long for places of honor in the synagogues and at banquets. ⁴⁰ They are the ones who cheat widows out of their homes, and to show off they say long prayers. They will be judged most harshly.”

A poor widow’s contribution

⁴¹ Jesus sat across from the collection box for the temple treasury and observed how the crowd gave their money. Many rich people were throwing in lots of money. ⁴² One poor widow came forward and put in two small copper coins worth a penny.^{[a] 43} Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I assure you that this poor widow has put in more than everyone who’s been putting money in the treasury. ⁴⁴ All of them are giving out of their spare change. But she from her hopeless poverty has given everything she had, even what she needed to live on.”