Tobit 7-11
1 Then they went to Ecbatana and came to the house of Raguel. Sarah went ahead to meet them, and after they greeted one another, she escorted them into the house. 2 Raguel said to Edna his wife, “How the young man resembles my cousin Tobit!” 3 Then Raguel asked them, “Where are you from, brothers?” They answered, “We are from the sons of Naphtali who are captives in Nineveh.” 4 Then he said to them, “Do you know Tobit our brother?” They responded, “We know him.” 5 Then he asked, “Is he in good health?” They answered, “He is alive and in good health.” Tobias then added, “He is my father.”
6 Raguel jumped up and kissed him and wept. He blessed him and said to him, “You are the son of a good and noble man!” But when he heard that Tobit had lost his eyesight, he was grieved and wept. 7 Edna his wife and Sarah his daughter also wept, and they received them eagerly. 8 And they killed a ram from the sheep and set many dishes before them.
9 Then Tobias said to Raphael, “Brother Azarias, speak about what you said on the way, and let the matter be completed.” 10 So he told Raguel what he said, and Raguel said to Tobias, “Eat, drink, and be glad, for it is fitting for you to marry my child. However, I must tell you the truth. 11 I gave my daughter to seven men, and when they went in to her, they died during the night. But for now, be glad!” 12 But Tobias said, “I will not eat anything until after you establish an agreement with me.” So Raguel said, “Receive her according to the decree, for you are her relative and she is yours. The merciful God will prosper you in what is good.”
Tobias and Sarah Are Wed
13 So he called Sarah his daughter, and taking her by the hand, he gave her to be a wife for Tobias. Then he said, “Behold, receive her according to the decree of Moses, and bring her before your father.” He then blessed them 14 and summoned his wife Edna. She took a scroll and wrote out the agreement. They sealed it, and then they began to eat.
15 After this, Raguel called his wife Edna and said to her, “Sister, prepare the other room and lead her into it.” 16 She did as he said and led her there. Then Sarah wept, but Edna understood the tears of her daughter and said to her, 17 “Be courageous, my child. May the Lord of heaven and earth give you grace instead of this sorrow of yours. Be courageous, my daughter.”
1 When they finished dining, they led Tobias to her. 2 As he went, he remembered the words of Raphael, and put the heart and the liver of the fish upon the embers of the incense and made smoke. 3 When the demon smelled the fragrant scent, he fled to the upper parts of Egypt, and there the angel bound him. 4 While both were enclosed in the room, Tobias rose up from the bed and said, “Arise, sister, and let us pray that the Lord will have mercy upon us.” 5 So Tobias began to pray, saying:
“Blessed are You, O God of our fathers, and blessed is Your holy and glorious name unto the ages. The heavens and all Your creatures bless You. 6 You made Adam and gave him Eve as a helper, his wife as a support. From them the seed of mankind came to be. You said, ‘It is not good for the man to be alone. Let Us make a helper for him like himself.’ 7 O Lord, I now take this my sister as my wife, not on account of fornication, but in truth. Command that she and I may have mercy, and in this grow old together.”
8 And with him she said, “Amen.” 9 Then both fell asleep for the night.
10 But Raguel rose up and went outside and dug a grave, saying, “He, too, may have died.” 11 Raguel then went back into his house 12 and said to his wife Edna, “Send one of the maids and let her see if indeed Tobias is alive. If he is not, let us bury him that no one may know.” 13 So the maid went to the door, and when she opened it she found both of them sleeping. 14 She came out and told the two of them that he was alive.
15 Then Raguel blessed God, saying:
“Blessed are You, the God, with every pure and holy blessing. Your holy ones and all Your creatures bless You. All Your angels and Your chosen ones bless You unto all the ages. 16 Blessed are You, for You have made me glad, and it did not turn out for me as I suspected. Rather, You did with us according to Your abundant mercy. 17 Blessed are You, for You had mercy on our two only children. O Lord, show them mercy, and complete their life in health and with gladness and mercy.”
18 Then he ordered his household servants to fill in the grave.
19 After this he provided a wedding feast for them lasting fourteen days. 20 Before the time of the wedding feast was over, Raguel swore an oath and said to Tobias, “You are not to leave from here unless the two of you stay the fourteen days of the wedding feast. 21 At that time take half of my belongings and go in good health to your father. The remainder will be yours when I and my wife die.”
Gabael Returns the Silver
1 Then Tobias called Raphael and said to him, 2 “Brother Azarias, take a servant and two camels with you and journey to Rages of Media. Find Gabael and bring the silver back to me and bring him to the wedding feast. 3 For Raguel has sworn an oath for me not to go away. 4 But my father is counting the days, and if I delay much longer he will be very distressed.” 5 Then Raphael went and spent the night with Gabael, and gave him the handwritten receipt. So Gabael brought the small sealed bags and gave them to him. 6 They both rose early in the morning and went to the wedding feast. Then Tobias blessed his wife.
Anna’s Distress
1 Tobit his father was counting each day. But when the days needed to complete the journey ended and they had not returned, 2 he asked, “Has he perhaps been dishonored? Or has Gabael died and no one gave him the silver?” 3 So he was very distressed. 4 Then his wife told him, “The young man has perished. That is why he is delayed.” Then she began to weep for him and said, 5 “Nothing matters to me, my child, the light of my eyes, for I permitted you to go.” 6 So Tobit said to her, “Be silent and have no more thoughts about it. He is in good health.”
7 She replied to him, “You be quiet. Do not deceive me. My child has perished.” Then throughout the day she went outside to the road by which he departed, and during the day she did not eat bread. At night she did not cease lamenting for her son Tobias until the fourteen days of the wedding feast were over, the days Raguel swore him to celebrate there.
The Bride and Groom Depart
8 Then Tobias said to Raguel, “Send me back, for my father and my mother no longer hope they will see me.” 9 But his father-in-law said to him, “Stay with me, and I will send messengers to your father. They will make clear to him how you are doing.” But Tobias said, “No indeed. On the contrary, send me back to my father.”
10 Then Raguel arose and gave Sarah his wife to him, and half of his belongings in servants, cattle, and silver. 11 Then he blessed them and sent them on their way, saying, “May the God of heaven prosper you, my children, before the day I die.” 12 To his daughter he said, “Honor your husband’s mother and father, for they are now your parents. Let me hear a good report of you,” and he kissed her. 13 Then Edna said to Tobias, “My beloved brother, may the Lord of heaven bring you back and grant me to see your children from my daughter Sarah, that I may rejoice before the Lord. Behold, I am entrusting my daughter to your care. Do not grieve her.” 14 With this, Tobias went on his way blessing God that He had prospered his journey. Then he blessed Raguel and Edna his wife.
Tobit’s Blindness Is Healed
1 He traveled until they approached Nineveh. Here Raphael said to Tobias, 2 “My brother, are you not aware of how you left your father? 3 Let us run ahead of your wife and prepare the house. 4 Take the gall of the fish in your hand.” So they proceeded, and the dog followed behind them.
5 Meanwhile Anna sat gazing upon the road for her boy. 6 She perceived that he was coming and said to the father, “Behold, your son is coming, and the man traveling with him!”
7 Raphael said, “I know that the eyes of your father will open. 8 Rub the gall on his eyes. When the eyes sting, he will rub them and cause the white film to fall away. He will then see you.”
9 Then Anna ran up to her son and fell upon his neck and said to him, “I have seen you, my child. From this day, I am now ready to die!” So they both wept. 10 Then Tobit came out of the door. He stumbled, but his son ran up to him. 11 He took hold of his father and dabbed the gall on the eyes of his father, saying, “Father, take courage!” 12 Then as his eyes stung, he rubbed them, and the white films peeled off from the corners of his eyes. 13 When he saw his son, he fell upon his neck, weeping, and said, 14 “Blessed are You, O God, and blessed is Your name unto the ages. Blessed are all Your holy angels, for You scourged me but had mercy on me. Behold, I see Tobias my son.” 15 His son went in rejoicing and told his father the great things that had happened to him in Media.
16 Then Tobit rejoiced and blessed God as he went to meet his daughter-in-law at the gate of Nineveh. But those who saw him as he walked along were amazed that he could see. Tobit gave thanks before them, because God had mercy on him. 17 Then as Tobit drew near to meet Sarah, his daughter-in-law, he blessed her, saying, “May you be in good health, my daughter! Blessed is God who brought you to us, and blessed are your father and your mother.”
18 So there was rejoicing among all his brethren in Nineveh. 19 Even Ahikar and his nephew Nadab came, for the wedding feast for Tobias was kept with gladness for seven days.
Psalms 146
1 Alleluia; of Aggeus and Zacharias. Praise the Lord, for a psalm is a good thing; Let praise be sweet to our God.
2 The Lord is building Jerusalem, And He shall gather together the dispersion of Israel;
3 He heals the brokenhearted And He binds up all their wounds.
4 He numbers the multitude of stars And calls them all by name.
5 Great is our Lord, and great is His strength; His understanding exceeds every measure.
6 The Lord raises up the gentle, But humbles sinners to the ground.
7 Begin with thanksgiving to the Lord; Sing to our God with the harp,
8 To Him who covers heaven with clouds, Who prepares rain for the earth, Who makes grass grow on the mountains And the green growth for the service of men,
9 To Him who gives the cattle their food And who gives food to the nestlings of ravens When they call upon Him.
10 He shall not take pleasure in the strength of a horse, Nor be pleased with the legs of a man;
11 The Lord is pleased with those who fear Him, And with those who hope in His mercy.
Psalms 147
1 Alleluia; of Aggeus and Zacharias. Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem; Praise your God, O Zion,
2 For He strengthens the bars of your gates; He blesses your children within you;
3 He who grants your borders peace, And fills you with the finest of wheat;
4 He who sends His teaching to earth Until His word shall run swiftly,
5 Giving snow like wool, Sprinkling mist like ashes,
6 Casting His ice like morsels; Who shall withstand His winter?
7 He shall send His word and melt them; His wind shall blow, and the waters shall flow,
8 He who declares His word to Jacob, His ordinances and judgments to Israel.
9 He did not do so with other nations, Nor did He show His judgments to them.
Proverbs of Solomon 31
A Virtuous Wife
10 Who will find a courageous wife? For such a one is more valuable than precious stones.
11 The heart of her husband trusts in her; She will not be at a loss for fine spoils, For she provides good things for her husband all her life.
12 She weaves wool and linen cloth And is productive with her hands.
13 She is like a ship trading afar off, So she procures her livelihood.
14 She also rises before dawn And gives food to her household, And appoints tasks for her maidservants.
15 Seeing a farm, she buys it, And from the fruits of her hands she plants her plot of land.
Acts 8
The Ethiopian Eunuch
26 Now an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, “Arise and go toward the south along the road which goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” This is desert.
27 So he arose and went. And behold, a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace the queen of the Ethiopians, who had charge of all her treasury, and had come to Jerusalem to worship,
28 was returning. And sitting in his chariot, he was reading Isaiah the prophet.
29 Then the Spirit said to Philip, “Go near and overtake this chariot.”
30 So Philip ran to him, and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said, “Do you understand what you are reading?”
31 And he said, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he asked Philip to come up and sit with him.
32 The place in the Scripture which he read was this: “He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; And as a lamb before its shearer is silent, So He opened not His mouth.
33 In His humiliation His justice was taken away, And who will declare His generation? For His life is taken from the earth.”
34 So the eunuch answered Philip and said, “I ask you, of whom does the prophet say this, of himself or of some other man?”
35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to him.
36 Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, “See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?”
37 Then Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” And he answered and said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”
38 So he commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him.
39 Now when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, so that the eunuch saw him no more; and he went on his way rejoicing.
40 But Philip was found at Azotus. And passing through, he preached in all the cities till he came to Caesarea.