Tobit · Updated Brenton English Septuagint
Tobit 12 Updated Brenton English Septuagint
Notes on this text (1)
- Same Septuagint text as Brenton, with modernised spelling.
1 Then Tobit called his son Tobias, and said unto him, My son, see that the man have his wages, which went with thee, and thou must give him more.
1 And Tobit called his son Tobias, and said to him, “See, my child, that the man which went with you have his wages, and you must give him more.”
2 And Tobias said unto him, O father, it is no harm to me to give him half of those things which I have brought:
2 And he said to him, “Father, it is no harm to me to give him the half of those things which I have brought;
3 for he hath brought me again to thee in safety, and made whole my wife, and brought me the money, and likewise healed thee.
3 for he has led me for you in safety, and he cured my wife, and brought my money, and likewise cured you.”
4 Then the old man said, It is due unto him.
4 The old man said, “It is due to him.”
5 So he called the angel, and he said unto him, Take half of all that ye have brought, and go away in safety.
5 And he called the angel, and said to him, “Take half of all that you have brought.”
6 Then he took them both apart, and said unto them, Bless God, praise him, and magnify him, and praise him for the things which he hath done unto you in the sight of all that live. It is good to praise God, and exalt his name, and honorably to show forth the works of God; therefore be not slack to praise him.
6 Then he called them both privately, and said to them, “Bless God, and give him thanks, and magnify him, and give him thanks in the sight of all that live, for the things which he has done with you. It is good to bless God and exalt his name, showing forth with honor the works of God. Don’t be slack to give him thanks.
7 It is good to keep close the secret of a king, but it is honorable to reveal the works of God. Do that which is good, and no evil shall touch you.
7 It is good to conceal the secret of a king, but to reveal gloriously the works of God. Do good, and evil won’t find you.
8 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:
8 Good is prayer with fasting, alms, and righteousness. A little with righteousness is better than much with unrighteousness. It is better to give alms than to lay up gold.
9 for alms doth deliver from death, and shall purge away all sin. Those that exercise alms and righteousness shall be filled with life:
9 Alms delivers from death, and it purges away all sin. Those who give alms and do righteousness will be filled with life;
10 but they that sin are enemies to their own life.
10 but those who sin are enemies to their own life.
11 Surely I will keep close nothing from you. For I said, It was good to keep close the secret of a king, but that it was honorable to reveal the works of God.
11 Surely I will conceal nothing from you. I have said, ‘It is good to conceal the secret of a king, but to reveal gloriously the works of God.’
12 Now therefore, when thou didst pray, and Sarah thy daughter-in-law, I did bring the remembrance of your prayers before the Holy One: and when thou didst bury the dead, I was with thee likewise.
12 And now, when you prayed, and Sarah your daughter-in-law, I brought the memorial of your prayer before the Holy One. When you buried the dead, I was with you likewise.
13 And when thou didst not delay to rise up, and leave thy dinner, to go and cover the dead, thy good deed was not hidden from me: but I was with thee.
13 And when you didn’t delay to rise up, and leave your dinner, that you might go and cover the dead, your good deed was not hidden from me. I was with you.
14 And now God hath sent me to heal thee and Sarah thy daughter-in-law.
14 And now God sent me to heal you and Sarah your daughter-in-law.
15 I am Raphael, one of the seven holy angels, which present the prayers of the saints, and which go in and out before the glory of the Holy One.
15 I am Raphael, one of the seven holy angels which present the prayers of the saints and go in before the glory of the Holy One.”
16 Then they were both troubled, and fell upon their faces: for they feared.
16 And they were both troubled, and fell upon their faces; for they were afraid.
17 But he said unto them, Fear not, for it shall go well with you; praise God therefore.
17 And he said to them, “Don’t be afraid. You will all have peace; but bless God forever.
18 For not of any favor of mine, but by the will of our God I came; wherefore praise him forever.
18 For I came not of any favor of my own, but by the will of your God. Therefore bless him forever.
19 All these days I did appear unto you; but I did neither eat nor drink, but ye did see a vision.
19 All these days I appeared to you. I didn’t eat or drink, but you all saw a vision.
20 Now therefore give God thanks: for I go up to him that sent me; but write all things which are done in a book.
20 Now give God thanks, because I ascend to him who sent me. Write in a book all the things which have been done.”
21 And when they arose, they saw him no more.
21 Then they rose up, and saw him no more.
22 Then they confessed the great and wonderful works of God, and how the angel of the Lord had appeared unto them.
22 They confessed the great and wonderful works of God, and how the angel of the Lord had appeared to them.
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
When you can do good, defer it not, because "alms delivers from death." Be all of you subject one to another "having your conduct blameless among the Gentiles," that ye may both receive praise for your good works, and the Lord may not be blasphemed through you.