Deliverance from the demon
8 When they had all finished eating and drinking, they wanted to go to bed. So the bride’s parents led the young man away and brought him into the bride’s bedroom. 2 Tobias remembered Raphael’s words. He took the fish’s liver and heart out of his bag and laid them upon the warm incense coals. 3 The odor from the fish drove off the demon, and he sped off to the region of Egypt. Raphael went after the demon, bound him there hand and foot, and immediately put him in chains.
4 Then the parents left and shut the door of the bedroom. Tobias got up from the bed and said to Sarah, “Get up, my sister! Let’s pray and beg our Lord to show us mercy and give us deliverance.”
5 She got up, and they began to pray and to ask that they might be delivered. Tobias then began to speak:
“Blessed are you, God of our ancestors, and blessed is your name for all generations. May the heavens and all your creation bless you forever! 6 You created Adam and you created Eve his wife to help and support him, and from the two of them has come the human race. You said, ‘It isn’t good for the man to be alone; let’s make for him a helper like himself.’ 7 I’m not taking this sister of mine now out of lust but with honest integrity.[a] Grant that she and I will be shown mercy and grow old together.”
8 Together they said, “Amen, amen.” 9 Then they fell asleep for the night.
Upon getting up during the night,[b] Raguel summoned his servants, and they went with him and dug a grave. 10 He said, “Tobias might die as well, and people will laugh and jeer at us.”
11 When they had finished digging the grave, Raguel returned to his house, called his wife, 12 and said, “Send one of the female servants in to see if he’s alive. If he’s dead, let’s bury him so that no one knows what has happened.”
13 So they sent for the female servant, lit a lamp, and opened the door. The female servant entered and found them fast asleep together. 14 Then she came out and told them, “He’s alive, and there’s nothing wrong.”
15 They praised the God of heaven, saying, “Blessed are you, God, with every pure blessing; may people bless you forever! 16 Blessed are you, because you have brought me joy. It didn’t happen as I had expected. Instead, you have dealt with us according to your great mercy. 17 Blessed are you, because you have shown mercy to our only two children. Master, provide them with mercy and well-being,[c] and bring both their lives to fulfillment with joy and mercy.”
18 Then Raguel told his servants to fill up the grave with dirt before dawn, 19 and he told his wife to bake a lot of bread. From his herd he brought back two oxen and four rams. He gave instructions to have them slaughtered, and they began to make preparations.
20 Raguel then called Tobias and said, “You will certainly not leave here for the next fourteen days. Instead, you will remain here to eat and drink with me, and you will bring joy to my daughter’s troubled soul. 21 Take now half of whatever I own and go in health to your father. When my wife and I die, the other half will be yours. Take courage, my son! I’m your father and Edna is your mother. From now on and forever we will stand beside both you and your sister. Take courage, my son!”
Footnotes
- Tobit 8:7 Or with truth
- Tobit 8:9 OL; LXX2 omits during the night.
- Tobit 8:17 Or and salvation