Tobit 12
New Catholic Bible
Chapter 12
God’s Providence Revealed.[a] 1 After the wedding celebrations had been completed, Tobit summoned his son Tobiah and said to him, “My son, it is time that you paid the wages owed to the man who journeyed with you, and in addition you should give him a bonus.” 2 Tobiah replied, “Father, how much should I pay him? I would not be averse to giving him half of all the possessions he brought back with me. 3 He returned me to you safe and sound, he cured my wife, he brought back the money with me, and he healed you. How much extra should I give him?”
4 Tobit answered, “It would only be just, my son, for him to receive half of all that he brought back.” 5 So Tobiah called his companion and said, “For your wages take half of all that you brought back, and go in peace.”
6 [b][c]Raphael called both men aside privately and said to them, “Bless God, and in the presence of all the living praise him and acknowledge all the good things he has done for you. Bless and extol his name with hymns of praise. Proclaim to all people the deeds of God, and never cease to offer thanksgiving to him. 7 The secret of a king should be concealed, but the works of God should be publicly proclaimed as they deserve. Do what is good, and no evil will befall you.
8 “Prayer and fasting are worthy acts, but better than these is almsgiving with justice. A little with righteousness is better than much with wickedness. It is better to give alms than to hoard gold.[d] 9 For almsgiving saves us from death and purges every type of sin. Those who give alms will enjoy a long life, 10 but those who commit sin and do evil deeds are their own worst enemies.
11 “I will now tell you the entire truth; nothing will be hidden from you. I have already said to you that it is prudent to keep a king’s secret but that the works of God should be publicly proclaimed as they deserve. 12 I can now reveal to you, Tobit, that when you and Sarah prayed, I was the one who presented your supplications before the Glory of the Lord, as well as when you buried the dead. 13 On the occasion when you did not hesitate to get up and leave your dinner to go and bury the dead man, 14 I was sent to test you.[e] However, at the same time, God sent me to heal you and your daughter-in-law Sarah. 15 I am Raphael, one of the seven angels who stand ready to enter before the Glory of the Lord.”[f]
16 The two men were deeply shaken and fell to the ground in fear. 17 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid.[g] Peace be with you. Praise God forevermore. 18 As for me, when I came to you, the decision was not in accord with my will but in accord with the will of God. Therefore, continue to bless him every day of your life and sing hymns of praise to him. 19 When you thought that you saw me eating, that was only a vision—I did not eat anything. 20 Now raise yourselves from the ground and give thanks to God. I am about to ascend to him who sent me. Make a written record of all these things that have happened to you.”
21 He then ascended, and when they stood up they could no longer see him. 22 They kept blessing God by singing hymns of praise, and they gave thanks to him for the marvelous deeds he had accomplished when an angel of God had appeared to them.
Footnotes
- Tobit 12:1 At the very hour of receiving his compensation, Tobiah’s mysterious guide reveals his true identity: the angel Raphael. He is entrusted—as his name indicates—with soothing the pains of the righteous undergoing trials. In doing so, he is only God’s instrument—it is the Lord who must be thanked.
- Tobit 12:6 Like a teacher of wisdom, Raphael now directs a brief exhortation to Tobit and his son—similar to the one Tobit addressed to his son in Tob 4:3-19.
- Tobit 12:6 These two verses reinforce the Jewish people’s belief that praising God was the most important duty (see Isa 38:16-20).
- Tobit 12:8 Another translation is: “prayer with fasting is a good thing; but true almsgiving is worth more than both of these”; it is a way of speaking used in proverbs (see Sir 40:18-26).
- Tobit 12:14 I was sent to test you: God is frequently shown testing those faithful to him (e.g., Job 1–2).
- Tobit 12:15 See Rev 8:2. The Bible mentions only three names of angels: Raphael, Michael, and Gabriel. Seven is a number that indicates fullness and perfection.
- Tobit 12:17 Do not be afraid: compare Mt 28:5, 10.
Tobit 12
Good News Translation
The Angel Raphael
12 When the wedding feast was over, Tobit called his son Tobias and said to him,
Son, be sure to pay your traveling companion, and don't forget to give him a bonus.
2 Tobias asked him,
Father, how much do you think I should pay him? I wouldn't mind giving him half of everything we brought back with us. 3 He brought me back home safe and sound; he went to get the money for me from Gabael; he rid my wife of a demon; and he cured your blindness. How much of a bonus should I give him?
4 Tobit answered,
Give him half of what he helped you bring back. He well deserves that.
5 Tobias then called Raphael and said to him,
Here is half of what you helped me bring back. You have earned it; have a safe journey home.
6 Then Raphael called the two men aside and said to them, Praise God and tell everyone about the good things he has done for you, so that they too will honor him and sing his praises. Let everyone know what God has done. Never stop praising him.
7 It's a good idea to keep a king's secret, but what God does should be told everywhere, so that he may be praised and honored.
If you do good, no harm will come to you.
8 (A)It is better to pray sincerely and to please God by helping the poor than to be rich and dishonest. It is better to give to the poor than to store up gold. 9 (B)Such generosity will save you from death and will wash away all your sins. Those who give to the poor will live full lives, 10 but those who live a life of sin and wickedness are their own worst enemies.
11 I have already told you that a king's secret ought to be kept, but the things God does should be told to everyone. Now I will reveal to you the full truth and keep nothing back. 12 (C)Tobit, when you and Sarah prayed to the Lord, I was the one who brought your prayers into his glorious presence. I did the same thing each time you buried the dead. 13 On the day you got up from the table without eating your meal in order to bury that corpse, God sent me to test you. 14 But he also sent me to cure you and to rescue your daughter-in-law, Sarah, from her troubles. 15 (D)I am Raphael, one of the seven angels who stand in the glorious presence of the Lord, ready to serve him.
16 Tobit and Tobias were terrified and fell to the ground, trembling with fear. 17 But Raphael said to them,
Don't be afraid; everything is all right. Always remember to praise God. 18 He wanted me to come and help you; I did not come on my own. So sing God's praises as long as you live. 19 When you thought you saw me eating, I did not really eat anything; it only seemed so. 20 While you are on this earth, you must praise the Lord God and give him thanks. Now I must go back to him who sent me. Write down everything that has happened to you.
21 Then Raphael disappeared into the sky. Tobit and Tobias stood up, but they could no longer see him. 22 They began to sing hymns of praise, giving thanks for all the mighty deeds God had done while his angel Raphael had been with them.
Good News Translation® (Today’s English Version, Second Edition) © 1992 American Bible Society. All rights reserved. For more information about GNT, visit www.bibles.com and www.gnt.bible.
