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Raphael’s Wages

12When the wedding celebration was ended, Tobit called his son Tobias and said to him, ‘My child, see to paying the wages of the man who went with you, and give him a bonus as well.’ ²He replied, ‘Father, how much shall I pay him? It would do no harm to give him half of the possessions brought back with me. ³For he has led me back to you safely, he cured my wife, he brought the money back with me, and he healed you. How much extra shall I give him as a bonus?’ ⁴Tobit said, ‘He deserves, my child, to receive half of all that he brought back.’ ⁵So Tobias^* called him and said, ‘Take for your wages half of all that you brought back, and farewell.’

Raphael’s Exhortation

6 Then Raphael^* called the two of them privately and said to them, ‘Bless God and acknowledge him in the presence of all the living for the good things he has done for you. Bless and sing praise to his name. With fitting honour declare to all people the deeds^* of God. Do not be slow to acknowledge him. ⁷It is good to conceal the secret of a king, but to acknowledge and reveal the works of God, and with fitting honour to acknowledge him. Do good, and evil will not overtake you. ⁸Prayer with fasting^* is good, but better than both is almsgiving with righteousness. A little with righteousness is better than wealth with wrongdoing.^* It is better to give alms than to lay up gold. ⁹For almsgiving saves from death and purges away every sin. Those who give alms will enjoy a full life, ¹⁰but those who commit sin and do wrong are their own worst enemies.

Raphael Discloses His Identity

11 ‘I will now declare the whole truth to you and will conceal nothing from you. Already I have declared it to you when I said, “It is good to conceal the secret of a king, but to reveal with due honour the works of God.” ¹²So now, when you and Sarah prayed, it was I who brought and read^* the record of your prayer before the glory of the Lord, and likewise whenever you buried the dead. ¹³And that time when you did not hesitate to get up and leave your dinner to go and bury the dead, ¹⁴I was sent to you to test you. And at the same time God sent me to heal you and Sarah your daughter-in-law. ¹⁵I am Raphael, one of the seven angels who stand ready and enter before the glory of the Lord.’

16 The two of them were shaken; they fell face down, for they were afraid. ¹⁷But he said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; peace be with you. Bless God for evermore. ¹⁸As for me, when I was with you, I was not acting on my own will, but by the will of God. Bless him each and every day; sing his praises. ¹⁹Although you were watching me, I really did not eat or drink anything—but what you saw was a vision. ²⁰So now get up from the ground,^* and acknowledge God. See, I am ascending to him who sent me. Write down all these things that have happened to you.’ And he ascended.

Tobit’s Thanksgiving to God

13Then Tobit^* said:
‘Blessed be God who lives for ever,
   because his kingdom^* lasts throughout all ages.
² For he afflicts, and he shows mercy;
   he leads down to Hades in the lowest regions of the earth,
   and he brings up from the great abyss,^*
   and there is nothing that can escape his hand.
⁶ If you turn to him with all your heart and with all your soul,
   to do what is true before him,
then he will turn to you
   and will no longer hide his face from you.
So now see what he has done for you;
   acknowledge him at the top of your voice.
Bless the Lord of righteousness,
   and exalt the King of the ages.^*
In the land of my exile I acknowledge him,
   and show his power and majesty to a nation of sinners:
“Turn back, you sinners, and do what is right before him;
   perhaps he may look with favour upon you and show you mercy.”
⁷ As for me, I exalt my God,
   and my soul rejoices in the King of heaven.
⁸ Let all people speak of his majesty,
   and acknowledge him in Jerusalem.

Jesus Denounces the Scribes

38 As he taught, he said, ‘Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes, and to be greeted with respect in the market-places, ³⁹and to have the best seats in the synagogues and places of honour at banquets! ⁴⁰They devour widows’ houses and for the sake of appearance say long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.’

The Widow’s Offering

41 He sat down opposite the treasury, and watched the crowd putting money into the treasury. Many rich people put in large sums. ⁴²A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which are worth a penny. ⁴³Then he called his disciples and said to them, ‘Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the treasury. ⁴⁴For all of them have contributed out of their abundance; but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.’