Tobit 8
Good News Translation
The Demon Is Expelled
8 When they had finished the meal, and it was time to go to bed, Sarah's parents led young Tobias to the bedroom. 2 He remembered Raphael's instructions, so he took the fish's liver and heart out of the bag where he had been keeping them. Then he placed them on the burning incense. 3 (A)The smell drove the demon away from them, and he fled to Egypt.[a] Raphael chased after him and caught him there. At once he bound him hand and foot.
The Prayer of Tobias
4 When Tobias and Sarah were alone behind closed doors, Tobias got up from the bed and said to his wife,
Get up, dear. Let's pray for the Lord to be merciful and to protect us. 5 (B)Sarah got up so that they could pray together and ask God for his protection. Then Tobias prayed:
God of our ancestors, you are worthy of praise.
May your name be honored forever and ever
by all your creatures in heaven and on earth.
6 (C)You created Adam and gave him his wife Eve
to be his helper and support.
They became the parents of the whole human race.
You said,
It is not good for man to live alone.
I will make a suitable helper for him.
7 Lord, I have chosen Sarah because it is right,
not because I lusted for her.
Please be merciful to us
and grant that we may grow old together.
8 Then they both said
Amen 9 and went to bed for the night.
Anxious Parents
Later that night, Raguel called his servants, and together they went out to dig a grave, 10 because Raguel thought,
Tobias will probably die too, and people will laugh and make fun of us. 11 When they finished digging the grave, Raguel went back into the house and said to his wife, 12
Send one of the servant women to find out if Tobias is still alive. If he isn't, then we will bury him before anyone finds out. 13 They then sent a servant woman to take a lamp and see if he was still alive. As she opened the door, she could see that both of them were sound asleep. 14 So she went back and told Raguel and Edna that Tobias was alive and unharmed. 15 Then Raguel[b] praised the God of heaven:
Raguel's Prayer
You are worthy of our praise, O God.
May your people praise you forever,
may they praise you with pure hearts.
16 I praise you because you have made me glad;
you have been merciful to us,
and my worst fears did not come true.
17 You deserve our praise, O Lord;
you were merciful to this young couple,
the only children of their parents.
Now, grant them your mercy and protection.
Let them live out their lives in happiness and love.
18 Then Raguel ordered his servants to fill in the grave before dawn.
The Wedding Feast
19 Raguel told his wife to bake enough bread for a big feast. Then he went out to the herd and brought back two oxen and four rams, which he ordered his servants to slaughter in preparation for the wedding feast. 20 (D)He called for Tobias and vowed[c] that he would not let him leave for two weeks.
Stay, and we will eat and drink together, he said.
It will do my daughter good after her terrible suffering. 21 Then you may take half of what I own and go back to your parents safe and sound. You will inherit the other half when Edna and I die. Have no doubts about our love for you; from now on you are as much our son as Sarah is our daughter. You can be sure of that, my son.
Footnotes
- Tobit 8:3 egypt: Egypt was thought of as the most remote part of the world and the home of demons and evil spirits.
- Tobit 8:15 Raguel; some manuscripts have they.
- Tobit 8:20 vowed; some manuscripts have said.
Tobit 8
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Tobias Routs the Demon
8 When they had finished eating and drinking, they wanted to retire, so they took the young man and brought him into the bedroom. 2 Then Tobias remembered the words of Raphael, and he took the fish’s liver and heart out of the bag where he had them and put them on the embers of the incense.(A) 3 The odor of the fish so repelled the demon that he fled to the remotest parts[a] of Egypt. But Raphael followed him and at once bound him there hand and foot.(B)
4 When the parents[b] had gone out and shut the door of the room, Tobias got out of bed and said to Sarah,[c] “Sister, get up, and let us pray and implore our Lord that he grant us mercy and safety.”(C) 5 So she got up, and they began to pray and implore that they might be kept safe. Tobias[d] began by saying,
“Blessed are you, O God of our ancestors,
and blessed is your name in all generations forever.
Let the heavens and the whole creation bless you forever.(D)
6 You made Adam, and for him you made his wife Eve
as a helper and support.
From the two of them the human race has sprung.
You said, ‘It is not good that the man should be alone;
let us make a helper for him like himself.’(E)
7 I now am taking this sister of mine,
not for sexual gratification,
but with sincerity.
Grant that she and I may find mercy
and that we may grow old together.”
8 And they both together said, “Amen, Amen.” 9 Then they went to sleep for the night.
But Raguel arose and called his servants to him, and they went and dug a grave, 10 for he said, “It is possible that he will die, and we will become an object of ridicule and derision.” 11 When they had finished digging the grave, Raguel went into his house and called his wife, 12 saying, “Send one of the female slaves and have her go in to see if he is alive. But if he is dead, let us bury him without anyone knowing it.”(F) 13 So they sent the female slave, lit a lamp, and opened the door; and she went in and found them lying in bed asleep together. 14 Then the female slave came out and informed them that he was alive and that nothing was wrong. 15 So they blessed the God of heaven, and Raguel[e] said,
“Blessed are you, O God, with every pure blessing;
let all your chosen ones bless you.[f]
Let them bless you forever.(G)
16 Blessed are you because you have made me glad.
It has not turned out as I expected,
but you have dealt with us according to your great mercy.(H)
17 Blessed are you because you had compassion
on two only children.
Be merciful to them, O Master, and keep them safe;
bring their lives to fulfillment
in happiness and mercy.”(I)
18 Then he ordered his servants to fill in the grave before daybreak.
Wedding Feast
19 After this he asked his wife to bake many loaves of bread, and he went out to the herd and brought two steers and four rams and ordered them to be slaughtered. So they began to make preparations.(J) 20 Then he called for Tobias and[g] said to him: “You shall not leave here for fourteen days but shall stay here eating and drinking with me, and you shall cheer up my daughter, who has been depressed.(K) 21 Take at once half of what I own and return in safety to your father; the other half will be yours when my wife and I die. Take courage, my son. I am your father, and Edna is your mother, and we belong to you as well as to your sister now and forever. Take courage, my son.”(L)
Tobit 8
Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition
8 And after they had supped, they brought in the young man to her.
2 And Tobias remembering the angel's word, took out of his bag part of the liver, and laid it upon burning coals.
3 Then the angel Raphael took the devil, and bound him in the desert of upper Egypt.
4 Then Tobias exhorted the virgin, and said to her: Sara, arise, and let us pray to God to day, and to morrow, and the next day: because for these three nights we are joined to God: and when the third night is over, we will be in our own wedlock.
5 For we are the children of saints, and we must not be joined together like heathens that know not God.
6 So they both arose, and prayed earnestly both together that health might be given them,
7 And Tobias said: Lord God of our father, may the heavens and the earth, and the sea, and the fountains, and the rivers, and all thy creatures that are in them, bless thee.
8 Thou madest Adam of the slime of the earth, and gavest him Eve for a helper.
9 And now, Lord, thou knowest, that not for fleshly lust do I take my sister to wife, but only for the love of posterity, in which thy name may be blessed for ever and ever.
10 Sara also said: Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us, and let us grow old both together in health.
11 And it came to pass about the cockcrowing, Raguel ordered his servants to be called for, and they went with him together to dig a grave.
12 For he said: Lest perhaps it may have happened to him, in like manner as it did to the other seven husbands, that went in unto her.
13 And when they had prepared the pit, Raguel went back to his wife, and said to her:
14 Send one of thy maids, and let her see if he be dead, that I may bury him before it be day.
15 So she sent one of her maidservants, who went into the chamber, and found them safe and sound, sleeping both together.
16 And returning she brought the good news: and Raguel and Anna his wife blessed the Lord,
17 And said: We bless thee, O Lord God of Israel, because it hath not happened as we suspected.
18 For thou hast shewn thy mercy to us, and hast shut out from us the enemy that persecuted us.
19 And thou hast taken pity upon two only children. Make them, O Lord, bless thee more fully: and to offer up to thee a sacrifice of thy praise, and of their health, that all nations may know, that thou alone art God in all the earth.
20 And immediately Raguel commanded his servants, to fill up the pit they had made, before it was day.
21 And he spoke to his wife to make ready a feast, and prepare all kind of provisions that are necessary for such as go a journey.
22 He caused also two fat kine, and four wethers to be killed, and a banquet to be prepared for all his neighbours, and all his friends.
23 And Raguel adjured Tobias, to abide with him two weeks.
24 And of all things which Raguel possessed, he gave one half to Tobias, and made him a writing, that the half that remained should after their decease come also to Tobias.
Tobit 8
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Chapter 8
Expulsion of the Demon. 1 When they had finished eating and drinking, they wanted to retire. So they brought the young man out and led him to the bedroom. 2 Tobiah, mindful of Raphael’s instructions, took the fish’s liver and heart from the bag where he had them, and put them on the embers intended for incense.[a] 3 The odor of the fish repulsed the demon, and it fled to the upper regions of Egypt;[b] Raphael went in pursuit of it and there bound it hand and foot. Then Raphael returned immediately.
4 When Sarah’s parents left the bedroom and closed the door behind them, Tobiah rose from bed and said to his wife, “My sister, come, let us pray and beg our Lord to grant us mercy and protection.” 5 She got up, and they started to pray and beg that they might be protected. He began with these words:
“Blessed are you, O God of our ancestors;
blessed be your name forever and ever!
Let the heavens and all your creation bless you forever.(A)
6 You made Adam, and you made his wife Eve
to be his helper and support;
and from these two the human race has come.
You said, ‘It is not good for the man to be alone;
let us make him a helper like himself.’(B)
7 Now, not with lust,
but with fidelity I take this kinswoman as my wife.
Send down your mercy on me and on her,
and grant that we may grow old together.
Bless us with children.”
8 They said together, “Amen, amen!” 9 Then they went to bed for the night.
But Raguel got up and summoned his servants. They went out with him and dug a grave, 10 for he said, “Perhaps Tobiah will die; then we would be a laughingstock and an object of mockery.” 11 When they had finished digging the grave, Raguel went back into the house and called his wife, 12 saying, “Send one of the maids in to see whether he is alive. If he has died, let us bury him without anyone knowing about it.” 13 They sent the maid, lit a lamp, and opened the bedroom door; she went in and found them sleeping together. 14 The maid came out and told them that Tobiah was alive, and that nothing was wrong. 15 Then they praised the God of heaven in these words:
“Blessed are you, God, with every pure blessing!
Let all your chosen ones bless you forever!
16 Blessed are you, for you have made me happy;
what I feared did not happen.
Rather you have dealt with us
according to your abundant mercy.
17 Blessed are you, for you have shown mercy
toward two only children.
Grant them, Master, mercy and protection,
and bring their lives to fulfillment
with happiness and mercy.”
18 Then Raguel told his servants to fill in the grave before dawn.
Wedding Feast. 19 He asked his wife to bake many loaves of bread; he himself went out to the herd and brought two steers and four rams, which he ordered to be slaughtered. So they began to prepare the feast. 20 He summoned Tobiah and said to him, “For fourteen days[c] you shall not stir from here, but shall remain here eating and drinking with me; you shall bring joy to my daughter’s afflicted spirit. 21 Now take half of what I own here; go back in good health to your father. The other half will be yours when I and my wife die. Take courage, son! I am your father, and Edna is your mother; we belong to you and to your sister both now and forever. So take courage, son!”
Footnotes
- 8:2–3 The manner of coping with demonic influences among the ancients seems strange to us. However, the fish here is a folktale element, suggesting the hero’s fight with a dragon, and not a recipe for exorcism. It is clear that the author places primary emphasis on the value of prayer to God (6:18; 8:4–8), on the role of the angel as God’s agent, and on the pious disposition of Tobiah.
- 8:3 The desert was considered the dwelling place of demons. Cf. Is 13:21; 34:14; Mt 4:1; 12:43.
- 8:20 For fourteen days: because of the happy, and unexpected, turn of events, Raguel doubles the time of the wedding feast. When Tobiah returns home, the usual seven-day feast is held (11:18). Cf. Jgs 14:12.
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.
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
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