APOCRYPHA TOBIT 12 & 13

2 Tobias declares to his father the pleasures that Raphael had done him. 5 The which he would recompense. 11-13 Raphael declares that he is an Angel sent of God.

THEN Tobit called his son Tobias, and said unto him, Provide, my son, wages for the man, which went with thee, and thou must give him more.

And he said unto him, O father, it shall not grieve me to give him half of those things which I have brought.

For he hath brought me again to thee in safety, and hath made whole my life, and hath brought me the money, and hath likewise healed thee.

Then the old man said, It is due unto him.

So he called the Angel, and said unto him, Take half of all that ye have brought, and go away in safety.

But he took them both a part, and said unto them, Praise God, and confess him, and give him the glory, and praise him for the things which he hath done unto you before all them that live. It is good to praise God, and to exalt his Name, and to show forth his evident works with honor: therefore be not weary to confess him.

It is good to keep close the secrets of a King, but it is honorable to revile the works of God: do that which is good, and no evil shall touch you.

Prayer is good with fasting, and alms, and righteousness. A little with righteousness is better than much with unrighteousness: it is better to give alms than to lay up gold.

For alms does deliver from death, and does purge all sin. Those which exercise alms and righteousness, shall be filled with life.

But they that sin, are enemies to their own life.

Surely I will keep close nothing from you: nevertheless, I said it was good to keep close the secret of a King, but that it was honorable to reveal the works of God.

Now therefore when thou did pray, and Sarra thy daughter in law, I did bring to memory your prayer before the holy one: and when thou did bury the dead, I was with thee likewise.

And when thou wast not grieved to rise up, and leave thy dinner to bury the dead, thy good deed was not hid from me: but I was with thee.

And now God hath sent me to heal thee, and Sarra thy daughter in law.

I am Raphael one of the seven holy Angels, which present the prayers of the Saints, and which go forth before his holy majesty.

Then they were both troubled, and fell upon their face: for they feared.

But he said unto them, Fear not, for it shall go well with you: praise God therefore.

For I came not of mine own pleasure, but by the good will of your God: wherefore praise him in all ages.

All these days I did appear unto you, but I did neither eat nor drink, but you saw it in vision.

Now therefore give God thanks: for I go up to him that sent me: but write all things which are done, in a book.

And when the rose, they saw him no more.

Then they confessed the great and wonderful works of God, and how the Angel of the Lord had appeared to them.

Tobit 13

A thanksgiving of Tobit, who exhorted all to praise the Lord.

THEN Tobit wrote a prayer of rejoicing, and said, Blessed be God that liveth for ever, and blessed be his kingdom.

For he doth scourge, and hath pity: he leads to hell, and brings up, neither is there any that can avoid his hand.

Confess him before the Gentiles, ye children of Israel: for he hath scattered you among them.

There declare his greatness, and extol him before all the living: for he is our Lord and our God and our father forever.

He hath scourged us for our iniquities, and will have mercy again, and will gather us out of all nations, among whom we are scattered.

If you turn to him with your whole heart, and with your whole mind, and deal uprightly before him, then will he turn unto you, and will not hide his face from you, but ye shall see what he will do with you: therefore confess him with your whole mouth, and praise the Lord of righteousness, and extol the everlasting King. I will confess him in the land of my captivity, and will declare his power, and greatness to a sinful nation. O ye sinners, turn and do justice before him: who can tell if he will receive you to mercy, and have pity on you?

I will extol my God, and my soul shall praise the King of heaven, and shall rejoice in his greatness.

Let all men speak, and let all praise him for his righteousness.

O Jerusalem the holy city, he will scourge thee for thy children’s works, but he will have pity again on the sons of righteous men.

Give praise to the Lord only, and praise the everlasting King, that his tabernacle may be built in thee again with joy: and let him make joyful there in thee those that are captives, and love in thee for ever those that be miserable.

Many nations shall come from far to the Name of the Lord God, with gifts in their hands, even gifts to the King of heaven: all generations shall praise thee, and give signs of joy.

Cursed are all they, which hate thee: but blessed are they for ever which love thee.

Rejoice, and be glad for the children of the just: for they shall be gathered, and shall bless the Lord of the just.

Blessed are they which love thee: for they shall rejoice in thy peace. Blessed are they which have been sorrowful for all thy scourges: for they shall rejoice for thee, when they shall see all thy glory, and shall rejoice for ever.

Let my soul bless God the great King.

For Jerusalem shall be built up with sapphires, and emerodes, and thy walls with precious stones, and thy towers, and thy bulwarks with pure gold.

And the streets of Jerusalem shall be paved with beryl, and carbuncle, and stones of Ophir.

And all her streets shall say, Halleluah, and they shall praise him, saying, Blessed be God which has extolled it for ever.