Tobit
According to the Book of Tobit, Tobit was the father of Tobias.
Quotes
[edit]- Distribute alms from your possessions. If you do not avert your gaze from anyone who is poor, God will never turn his face away from you. Your almsgiving should be in proportion to your means. If you have been blessed with great abundance, give much; if you possess little, do not be afraid to give even some of that. In this way you will be accumulating for yourself a goodly treasure for the day of adversity. For almsgiving delivers the donor from death and saves people from descending into darkness. Those who give alms have a worthy offering in the presence of the Most High.
- Book of Tobit 4:7-11 NCB.
- Do not do to anyone what you yourself hate. Do not drink wine to excess or allow drunkenness to become your companion on your journey of life.
- “Share your food with the hungry and your clothes with those who are in need of them. Whatever you have in excess, give as alms, and do so ungrudgingly. Generously provide bread and wine at the graves of the just, but give nothing to sinners.
- “Seek the advice of every wise person, and do not ignore any useful counsel.
- Book of Tobit 4:15-18 NCB.
- For he both punishes and forgives;
- he consigns people to the depths of Hades
- and brings them up from the great abyss.
- “Praise him, you Israelites, before the nations,
- for though he has scattered you among them,
- he has shown you his greatness even there.
- Exalt him in the presence of every living creature,
- for he is our Lord and our God;
- he is our Father and our God forever.
- Tobit 13:2-4 NCB.
- If you turn to him with all your heart and soul
- to do what is right in his presence,
- then he will turn to you
- and will no longer hide his face from you.
- So now consider what he has done for you
- and shout your praises to him.
- Bless the Lord of justice
- and exalt the King of the ages.
- “In the land of my exile I sing his praise
- and make known his power and majesty to a sinful nation:
- Turn back, you sinners, and be upright in your conduct before him;
- perhaps he will then look upon you with favor
- and show you mercy.
- “As for me, I exalt my God,
- and my soul rejoices in the King of heaven.
- Tobit 13:6-7 NCB.
- My son, take your children and hasten to Media, for I believe the word of God that Nahum spoke about Nineveh. It will all take place. Everything will happen to Assyria and Nineveh that was spoken by the prophets of Israel sent by God. None of their words will be unfulfilled; everything will occur at the appointed time. You will be safer in Media than in Assyria or Babylon. For I know and believe that whatever God has said will be accomplished. Not a single word of the prophecies will remain unfulfilled.
- “All of our kindred who dwell in Israel will be scattered and carried off in exile out of that good land. The whole territory of Israel, even Samaria and Jerusalem, will be desolate. The temple of God there will be burned to the ground, and for a period of time it will be abandoned.
- Tobit 14:4 NCB.
- (Last words) Once you have buried your mother next to me, do not spend even one more night within the confines of this city, where the people are without shame as they engage in wickedness and deceit. Recall, my son, what Nadab did to Ahiqar who had raised him. While still alive, Ahiqar was forced to hide in a grave. However, God’s justice did not allow this disgraceful outrage to remain unpunished, inasmuch as Ahiqar came out again into the light of day, while Nadab descended into eternal darkness because of his attempt on Ahiqar’s life.
- “Because Ahiqar gave alms, he managed to escape the deadly trap that Nadab had set for him. However, Nadab himself fell into that trap and was destroyed. So, my children, you can see what almsgiving accomplishes, as well as what wickedness does—it leads to death. But now my breath fails me.
- Tobit 14:10-11 NCB.