Raphael’s Wages

12 When 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.’

⁵ So Tobias^[a] called him and said, ‘Take for your wages half of all that you brought back, and farewell.’

Raphael’s Exhortation

⁶ Then Raphael^[b] 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^[c] of God. Do not be slow to acknowledge him. ⁷ It 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. ⁸ Prayer with fasting^[d] is good, but better than both is almsgiving with righteousness. A little with righteousness is better than wealth with wrongdoing.^[e] It is better to give alms than to lay up gold. ⁹ For almsgiving saves from death and purges away every sin. Those who give alms will enjoy a full life, ¹⁰ but 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.” ¹² So now, when you and Sarah prayed, it was I who brought and read^[f] the record of your prayer before the glory of the Lord, and likewise whenever you buried the dead. ¹³ And that time when you did not hesitate to get up and leave your dinner to go and bury the dead, ¹⁴ I was sent to you to test you. And at the same time God sent me to heal you and Sarah your daughter-in-law. ¹⁵ I am Raphael, one of the seven angels who stand ready and enter before the glory of the Lord.’

²⁰ So now get up from the ground,^[a] 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.

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, ³⁹ and to have the best seats in the synagogues and places of honour at banquets! ⁴⁰ They 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. ⁴² A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which are worth a penny. ⁴³ Then 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. ⁴⁴ For 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.’