Catholic Bible
Mosaico decorativo

Tobit, 13

1. And he said: Blessed be God who lives for ever, for his reign endures throughout all ages!

1. Then Tobit wrote a prayer of rejoicing, and said: "Blessed is God who lives for ever, and blessed is his kingdom.

2. For he both punishes and pardons; he sends people down to the depths of the underworld and draws them up from utter Destruction; no one can escape his hand.

2. For he afflicts, and he shows mercy; he leads down to Hades, and brings up again, and there is no one who can escape his hand.

3. Declare his praise before the nations, you who are the children of Israel! For if he has scattered you among them,

3. Acknowledge him before the nations, O sons of Israel; for he has scattered us among them.

4. there too he has shown you his greatness. Extol him before all the living; he is our Lord and he is our God; he is our Father, and he is God for ever and ever.

4. Make his greatness known there, and exalt him in the presence of all the living; because he is our Lord and God, he is our Father for ever.

5. Though he punishes you for your iniquities, he will take pity on you all; he will gather you from every nation wherever you have been scattered.

5. He will afflict us for our iniquities; and again he will show mercy, and will gather us from all the nations among whom you have been scattered.

6. If you return to him with all your heart and all your soul, behaving honestly towards him, then he will return to you and hide his face from you no longer. Consider how well he has treated you; loudly give him thanks. Bless the Lord of justice and extol the King of the ages. I for my part sing his praise in the country of my exile; I make his power and greatness known to a nation that has sinned. Sinners, return to him; let your conduct be upright before him; perhaps he will be gracious to you and take pity on you.

6. If you turn to him with all your heart and with all your soul, to do what is true before him, then he will turn to you and will not hide his face from you. But see what he will do with you; give thanks to him with your full voice. Praise the Lord of righteousness, and exalt the King of the ages. I give him thanks in the land of my captivity, and I show his power and majesty to a nation of sinners. Turn back, you sinners, and do right before him; who knows if he will accept you and have mercy on you?

7. I for my part extol God and my soul rejoices in the King of heaven. Let his greatness

7. I exalt my God; my soul exalts the King of heaven, and will rejoice in his majesty.

8. be on every tongue, his praises be sung in Jerusalem.

8. Let all men speak, and give him thanks in Jerusalem.

9. Jerusalem, Holy City, God has scourged you for what you have done but will still take pity on the children of the upright.

9. O Jerusalem, the holy city, he will afflict you for the deeds of your sons, but again he will show mercy to the sons of the righteous.

10. Thank the Lord as he deserves and bless the King of the ages, that your Temple may be rebuilt with joy within you; within you he may comfort every exile, and within you he may love all those who are distressed, for all generations to come.

10. Give thanks worthily to the Lord, and praise the King of the ages, that his tent may be raised for you again with joy. May he cheer those within you who are captives, and love those within you who are distressed, to all generations for ever.

11. A bright light will shine over all the regions of the earth; many nations will come from far away, from all the ends of the earth, to dwell close to the holy name of the Lord God, with gifts in their hands for the King of heaven. Within you, generation after generation will proclaim their joy, and the name of her who is Elect will endure through the generations to come.

11. Many nations will come from afar to the name of the Lord God, bearing gifts in their hands, gifts for the King of heaven. Generations of generations will give you joyful praise.

12. Cursed be any who affront you, cursed be any who destroy you, who throw down your walls, who rase your towers, who burn your houses! Eternally blessed be he who rebuilds you!

12. Cursed are all who hate you; blessed for ever will be all who love you.

13. Then you will exult, and rejoice over the children of the upright, for they will all have been gathered in and will bless the Lord of the ages.

13. Rejoice and be glad for the sons of the righteous; for they will be gathered together, and will praise the Lord of the righteous.

14. Blessed are those who love you, blessed those who rejoice over your peace, blessed those who have mourned over all your punishment! For they will soon rejoice within you, witness all your blessedness in days to come.

14. How blessed are those who love you! They will rejoice in your peace. Blessed are those who grieved over all your afflictions; for they will rejoice for you upon seeing all your glory, and they will be made glad for ever.

15. My soul blesses the Lord, the great King

15. Let my soul praise God the great King.

16. because Jerusalem will be built anew and his house for ever and ever. What bliss, if one of my family be left to see your glory and praise the King of heaven! The gates of Jerusalem will be built of sapphire and of emerald, and all your walls of precious stone, the towers of Jerusalem will built of gold and their battlements of pure gold.

16. For Jerusalem will be built with sapphires and emeralds, her walls with precious stones, and her towers and battlements with pure gold.

17. The streets of Jerusalem will be paved with ruby and with stones from Ophir; the gates of Jerusalem will resound with songs of exultation; and all her houses will say, 'Alleluia! Blessed be the God of Israel.' Within you they will bless the holy name for ever and ever.

17. The streets of Jerusalem will be paved with beryl and ruby and stones of Ophir;

18.

18. all her lanes will cry `Hallelujah!' and will give praise, saying, `Blessed is God, who has exalted you for ever.'"



Read the Bible in a Year

Join our community and complete the entire Bible in 365 days. A structured and inspiring path to deepen your faith and knowledge of Scripture.

Join the Program Download the PDF Plan

Footnotes:

13:1-3 - Tobias praises God for His mercy and justice, recognizing His saving action in the lives of His people. This exaltation emphasizes the importance of worship and acknowledging God's blessings in times of difficulty (see also Psalm 107:1-2 and Ephesians 5:20).

13:4-5 - The vision of the city of Nineveh and the prophecy of its restoration highlight the hope of renewal and redemption. This passage emphasizes God's faithfulness in fulfilling His promises, even after periods of judgment (see also Jeremiah 29:11 and Romans 8:28).

13:6-8 - Tobias prophesies of the return of the people to their home and the conversion of the Gentiles, symbolizing the universality of salvation. This reinforces the message that God desires all to come to know Him (see also Psalm 86:9 and Acts 2:21).

13:9-10 - The promise that God will gather all peoples to worship in Jerusalem highlights the centrality of worshiping God in the lives of His people. Worship should be a communal act that reflects unity in faith (see also Psalm 122:1-2 and Hebrews 10:24-25).

13:11-14 - Tobit's instruction to remember their righteous actions and commitment to God is a reminder of the importance of moral and ethical living. This call to accountability highlights the connection between faith and action (see also James 2:17 and Galatians 6:9).

Verses related to Tobit, 13:

Tobit chapter 13 presents Tobit's song of praise. How does gratitude transform adversity into worship? This poetic text expresses Tobit's exuberant praise of God for His mercy and justice. The chapter explores themes of national repentance, divine restoration, and the future glory of Jerusalem. Tobit 13 demonstrates how suffering can turn into a powerful testimony of God's goodness. Dive with us into five biblical passages that resonate with the themes of praise and prophecy in this inspiring chapter.

Psalms 103:1-3: "Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not any of his benefits. It is he who forgives all your iniquities and heals all your diseases." - Tobit's song of praise reflects similar themes to those found in this psalm of gratitude and praise.

Isaiah 60:1-3: "Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. For behold, darkness has covered the earth, and darkness has covered the people; but the Lord will arise upon you, and his glory will be seen upon you. And the nations will walk in your light, and kings in the brightness that dawned on you." - Tobit's vision of a restored and glorious Jerusalem echoes Isaiah's prophecy about the future glory of Zion.

Revelation 21:10-11: "And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, having the glory of God." - The description of the New Jerusalem in Revelation has parallels with Tobit's vision of a restored Jerusalem.

Luke 1:46-47: "Then Mary said, 'My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.'" - Mary's song of praise (Magnificat) shares similar themes with Tobit's song of praise.

Zephaniah 3:14-15: "Sing, O daughter of Zion; shout for joy, O Israel; Rejoice and be glad with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem. The Lord has removed the judgments that were against you, he has cast out your enemy; the King of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst; you will see no more evil." - This prophecy of restoration and joy for Jerusalem echoes the themes of the song of Tobit.

FAQ:

What did Tobit and Hannah say about God's goodness?

Tobit and Hannah extolled God’s goodness, praising Him for restoring their family and granting blessings of healing and prosperity. (Tobit 13:15-16)

What did Tobit prophesy about Israel?

Tobit prophesied that God would restore Jerusalem, and that the children of Israel would return from their exile to worship the Lord in the holy city. (Tobit 13:16-17)

How did Tobias express his faith in the restoration of Jerusalem?

Tobit expressed his faith in the restoration of Jerusalem, declaring that God would gather the children of Israel to celebrate in the holy city in worship. (Tobit 13:16)

What did the people of Nineveh do after Tobit's prayer?

After Tobit's prayer, the people of Nineveh recognized God's greatness and began to praise Him for the deliverance and restoration of their city. (Tobit 13:18)

What is the importance of the prayer of thanksgiving in Tobit 13?

Tobit's prayer of thanksgiving is an example of how we should acknowledge and praise God for His blessings. It expresses faith in His sovereignty and goodness. (Tobit 13:15-16)


Bibles

Old Testament

New Testament

Follow us