Good News [1976], GOOD NEWS BIBLE WITH DEUTEROCANONICALS / APOCRYPHA Today's English Version (AMERICAN BIBLE SOCIETY, New York) [word count] [B15000].
To look up a word in a dictionary, select the word with your mouse and press 'd' on your keyboard.
Travel Preparations
1 Then Tobias answered his father,
“I'll do everything you told
me.
2 But how can I get the money
back from Gabael? We have never
even met each other. How can I
prove to him who I am, so that he
will trust me and give me the money?
Besides that, I don't know how
to get to Media.”
3 Tobit replied, “Gabael and I
both signed a document. I then tore
it in two, and we each took a half. I
put his half with the money. That
was twenty years ago! Now, go and
find a reliable person to travel with
you to Media and back, and we will
pay him when you return. But you
must get the money that I left with
Gabael.”
Tobias Meets Raphael
4 Tobias then went out to look for
someone who knew the way to Media
and would travel with him. Almost
as soon as he left the house, he
found himself face-to-face with Raphael.
Tobias did not know that Raphael
was an angel of God,
5 so he
asked him where he was from.
5 “I am an Israelite,” Raphael answered,
“one of your distant relatives,
and I have come here to Nineveh
to find work.”
5 “Do you know the way to Media?”
Tobit asked. note
6 “Yes, I do,” Raphael replied. “I
have been there many times, and I
know all the roads well. I used to
stay with our relative Gabael, who
lives there in the town of Rages. noteIt
takes at least two days to travel
there from Ecbatana, the capital
city, because Rages is up in the
mountains.”
7 Then Tobias said to Raphael,
“Wait here for me, my friend, while
I go in and tell my father. I would
like for you to travel with me, and I
will pay you for the journey.”
8 “All right,” Raphael said, “I'll
wait, but don't take too long.”
9 Tobias went in and told his father,
“I have found a fellow Israelite
to travel with me.”
9 “Call the man in,” Tobit replied. “I
would like to know what family and
tribe he belongs to, and whether he
is a reliable traveling companion for
you.”
Tobit Meets Raphael
9 So Tobias went out and called to
Raphael, “My father would like to
meet you.” When Raphael came in,
Tobit greeted him first.
9 Then Raphael returned the greeting,
“I hope all is well with you.”
9 But Tobit replied, “How can all be
well with me? I'm blind and can't see
a thing. It's like being dead and no
longer able to see the light. I might
as well be dead! I can hear people
talking, but I can't see them.”
9 “Cheer up!” Raphael said to him.
“God is going to cure you soon, so
don't worry!”
9 Tobit then said, “My son Tobias
wants to go to Media. Can you go
with him and show him the way? I
will pay you, of course.”
-- --
9 Raphael replied, “Certainly I can
go with him. I have traveled there
many times and I know all the roads
in the mountains and on the plains.”
10 Tobit questioned him further,
“Tell me, my friend, what family and
tribe do you belong to?”
11 But Raphael asked, “Why do
you need to know that?”
11 “Tell me the truth,” said Tobit.
“What is your name, and who are
you?”
12 Raphael replied, “My name is
Azarias, and I am the son of the
older Ananias, one of your relatives.”
13 Then Tobit said to him, “Welcome
to our home! God bless you,
my son. Please don't be offended because
I wanted to know the truth
about you and your family. As it
turns out, you are from a good family
and a relative at that! I knew
Ananias and Nathan, the two sons of
the older Shemaiah. They were always
loyal to their religion. We used
to travel together to Jerusalem and
worship there. Your relatives are
fine people, and you come from good
stock. Have a safe journey.”
14 Tobit continued, “I will pay the
normal daily wage plus expenses for
both of you.
15 Be a good companion
to Tobias, and I will add a bonus to
your wages.”
16 “I will go with him,” Raphael
said. “And don't worry; we will get
there and back safely. The roads are
not dangerous.”
16 “God be with you!” Tobit replied.
Then he called Tobias and said to
him, “Son, get everything ready that
you need for the journey, so that the
two of you can be on your way. May
God and his angel watch over you
both and bring you back to me safe
and sound.”
16 Before leaving for Media, Tobias
kissed his father and mother goodbye.
Tobit said again, “Have a safe
journey!” note
17 Then his mother began to cry.
“How could you send my son away
like this?” she complained. “He's
our only means of support. Who will
take care of us now?
18 Is that money
so important to you that you are
willing to risk your own son's life to
get it back?
19 Why can't we be content
to live on what the Lord has given
us?”
20 “Calm down,” Tobit said to her.
“He will get there and back safely,
and with your own eyes you will see
him return home safe and sound.
21 Now stop worrying about them,
dear. A good angel will go with Tobias.
He will have a successful journey
and will come back in good health.”
At that, Anna calmed down and
stopped crying.
Good News [1976], GOOD NEWS BIBLE WITH DEUTEROCANONICALS / APOCRYPHA Today's English Version (AMERICAN BIBLE SOCIETY, New York) [word count] [B15000].
|