Bible Readings for a funeral
This page contains most of the Bible Readings that are suitable for use at a funeral.
Each one lists the scripture reference, and the broad theme of the reading, followed by the full text.
The readings are listed in the order each book appears in the bible.
Readings marked with ** are particularly well-used readings that many people choose.
The texts used here are from the New International Version (NIV),
apart from the reading from the book of Wisdom.
There are a few other suitable readings from Scripture that can be used that aren't shown here,
and, if necessary, we can discuss those during my visit.
Sometimes the deceased has left specific instructions about which reading should be used,
and during my visit I will ask if that is the case.
Each one lists the scripture reference, and the broad theme of the reading, followed by the full text.
The readings are listed in the order each book appears in the bible.
Readings marked with ** are particularly well-used readings that many people choose.
The texts used here are from the New International Version (NIV),
apart from the reading from the book of Wisdom.
There are a few other suitable readings from Scripture that can be used that aren't shown here,
and, if necessary, we can discuss those during my visit.
Sometimes the deceased has left specific instructions about which reading should be used,
and during my visit I will ask if that is the case.
** Psalm 23 - The
Lord is my Shepherd
The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want
He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
he restores my soul.
He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil, for you are with me;
your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.
Psalm 121 – The Lord watches over you, and will keep you from harm
I lift up my eyes to the hills - where does my help come from?
My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.
He will not let your foot slip - he who watches over you will not slumber;
indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.
The LORD watches over you - the LORD is your shade at your right hand;
the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.
The LORD will keep you from all harm - he will watch over your life;
the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.
Psalm 139 – God knows our being completely
O LORD, you have searched me and you know me.
You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.
You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways.
Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O LORD.
You hem me in - behind and before; you have laid your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.
Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?
If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea,
even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.
If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,"
even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day,
for darkness is as light to you.
For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place.
When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,
your eyes saw my unformed body.
All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.
How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!
How vast is the sum of them!
Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand.
When I awake, I am still with you.
** Ecclesiastes 3:1-11 – In God, there is a time for everything
There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens:
a time to be born and a time to die,
to plant and to uproot,
to kill and to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh,
to mourn and to dance,
to scatter stones and to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
a time to search and a time to give up,
to keep and to throw away,
to tear and to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
to love and to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.
What do workers gain from their toil?
I have seen the burden God has laid on the human race.
He has made everything beautiful in its time.
He has also set eternity in the human heart;
yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.
Isaiah 25: 6a, 7-9 - God will wipe away all tears
On this mountain the LORD Almighty will prepare a feast of rich food for all peoples.
On this mountain he will destroy the shroud that enfolds all peoples,
the sheet that covers all nations;
he will swallow up death forever.
The Sovereign LORD will wipe away the tears from all faces;
he will remove the disgrace of his people from all the earth.
The LORD has spoken.
In that day they will say,
"Surely this is our God; we trusted in him, and he saved us.
This is the LORD, we trusted in him; let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation."
The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want
He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
he restores my soul.
He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil, for you are with me;
your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.
Psalm 121 – The Lord watches over you, and will keep you from harm
I lift up my eyes to the hills - where does my help come from?
My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.
He will not let your foot slip - he who watches over you will not slumber;
indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.
The LORD watches over you - the LORD is your shade at your right hand;
the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.
The LORD will keep you from all harm - he will watch over your life;
the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.
Psalm 139 – God knows our being completely
O LORD, you have searched me and you know me.
You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.
You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways.
Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O LORD.
You hem me in - behind and before; you have laid your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.
Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?
If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea,
even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.
If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,"
even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day,
for darkness is as light to you.
For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place.
When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,
your eyes saw my unformed body.
All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.
How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!
How vast is the sum of them!
Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand.
When I awake, I am still with you.
** Ecclesiastes 3:1-11 – In God, there is a time for everything
There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens:
a time to be born and a time to die,
to plant and to uproot,
to kill and to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh,
to mourn and to dance,
to scatter stones and to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
a time to search and a time to give up,
to keep and to throw away,
to tear and to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
to love and to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.
What do workers gain from their toil?
I have seen the burden God has laid on the human race.
He has made everything beautiful in its time.
He has also set eternity in the human heart;
yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.
Isaiah 25: 6a, 7-9 - God will wipe away all tears
On this mountain the LORD Almighty will prepare a feast of rich food for all peoples.
On this mountain he will destroy the shroud that enfolds all peoples,
the sheet that covers all nations;
he will swallow up death forever.
The Sovereign LORD will wipe away the tears from all faces;
he will remove the disgrace of his people from all the earth.
The LORD has spoken.
In that day they will say,
"Surely this is our God; we trusted in him, and he saved us.
This is the LORD, we trusted in him; let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation."
Isaiah 40: 28-31 – Renewed strength for those who hope in God
Do you not know? Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom.
He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.
Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall;
but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.
Lamentations 3: 22-26, 31-33 – Reward for those who hope in God
Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.
They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.
I say to myself, "The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him."
The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him,
to the one who seeks him;
it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD.
For men are not cast off by the Lord forever.
Though he brings grief, he will show compassion,
so great is his unfailing love.
For he does not willingly bring affliction or grief to the children of men.
** Wisdom 3: 1-3, 9; 5:15-16 – The souls of the righteous are in God’s safe keeping
The souls of the righteous are in the hand of God,
and no torment will ever touch them.
In the eyes of the foolish they seemed to have died,
and their departure was thought to be an affliction,
and their going from us to be their destruction;
but they are at peace.
Those who trust in him will understand truth,
and the faithful will abide with him in love,
because grace and mercy are upon his elect,
and he watches over his holy ones.
But the righteous live for ever, and their reward is with the Lord;
the Most High takes care of them.
Therefore they will receive a glorious crown
and a beautiful diadem from the hand of the Lord,
because with his right hand he will cover them,
and with his arm he will shield them.
Mark 5: 21-42 – Jesus raises the daughter of Jairus
Suitable for the funeral of a child/young person
When Jesus had again crossed over by boat to the other side of the lake,
a large crowd gathered around him while he was by the lake.
Then one of the synagogue rulers, named Jairus, came there.
Seeing Jesus, he fell at his feet and pleaded earnestly with him,
"My little daughter is dying.
Please come and put your hands on her so that she will be healed and live."
So Jesus went with him. A large crowd followed and pressed around him.
While Jesus was still speaking, some men came from the house of Jairus,
the synagogue ruler. "Your daughter is dead," they said.
"Why bother the teacher any more?"
Ignoring what they said, Jesus told the synagogue ruler,
"Don't be afraid; just believe."
He did not let anyone follow him except Peter, James and John the brother of James.
When they came to the home of the synagogue ruler,
Jesus saw a commotion, with people crying and wailing loudly.
He went in and said to them,
"Why all this commotion and wailing? The child is not dead but asleep."
But they laughed at him.
After he put them all out, he took the child's father and mother
and the disciples who were with him, and went in where the child was.
He took her by the hand and said to her, "Talitha koum!"
(which means, "Little girl, I say to you, get up!").
Immediately the girl stood up and walked around (she was twelve years old).
At this they were completely astonished.
Do you not know? Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom.
He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.
Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall;
but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.
Lamentations 3: 22-26, 31-33 – Reward for those who hope in God
Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.
They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.
I say to myself, "The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him."
The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him,
to the one who seeks him;
it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD.
For men are not cast off by the Lord forever.
Though he brings grief, he will show compassion,
so great is his unfailing love.
For he does not willingly bring affliction or grief to the children of men.
** Wisdom 3: 1-3, 9; 5:15-16 – The souls of the righteous are in God’s safe keeping
The souls of the righteous are in the hand of God,
and no torment will ever touch them.
In the eyes of the foolish they seemed to have died,
and their departure was thought to be an affliction,
and their going from us to be their destruction;
but they are at peace.
Those who trust in him will understand truth,
and the faithful will abide with him in love,
because grace and mercy are upon his elect,
and he watches over his holy ones.
But the righteous live for ever, and their reward is with the Lord;
the Most High takes care of them.
Therefore they will receive a glorious crown
and a beautiful diadem from the hand of the Lord,
because with his right hand he will cover them,
and with his arm he will shield them.
Mark 5: 21-42 – Jesus raises the daughter of Jairus
Suitable for the funeral of a child/young person
When Jesus had again crossed over by boat to the other side of the lake,
a large crowd gathered around him while he was by the lake.
Then one of the synagogue rulers, named Jairus, came there.
Seeing Jesus, he fell at his feet and pleaded earnestly with him,
"My little daughter is dying.
Please come and put your hands on her so that she will be healed and live."
So Jesus went with him. A large crowd followed and pressed around him.
While Jesus was still speaking, some men came from the house of Jairus,
the synagogue ruler. "Your daughter is dead," they said.
"Why bother the teacher any more?"
Ignoring what they said, Jesus told the synagogue ruler,
"Don't be afraid; just believe."
He did not let anyone follow him except Peter, James and John the brother of James.
When they came to the home of the synagogue ruler,
Jesus saw a commotion, with people crying and wailing loudly.
He went in and said to them,
"Why all this commotion and wailing? The child is not dead but asleep."
But they laughed at him.
After he put them all out, he took the child's father and mother
and the disciples who were with him, and went in where the child was.
He took her by the hand and said to her, "Talitha koum!"
(which means, "Little girl, I say to you, get up!").
Immediately the girl stood up and walked around (she was twelve years old).
At this they were completely astonished.
Mark 10: 13-16 - Jesus blesses the little children
Suitable for the funeral of a child/young person
People were bringing little children to Jesus to have him touch them,
but the disciples rebuked them.
When Jesus saw this, he was indignant.
He said to them, "Let the little children come to me,
and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.
I tell you the truth,
anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it."
And he took the children in his arms,
put his hands on them and blessed them.
John 6: 37-40 – “I will raise them up”
All that the Father gives me will come to me,
and whoever comes to me I will never drive away.
For I have come down from heaven not to do my will
but to do the will of him who sent me.
And this is the will of him who sent me,
that I shall lose none of all that he has given me,
but raise them up at the last day.
For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son
and believes in him shall have eternal life,
and I will raise him up at the last day."
** John 14: 1-6 – “I go to prepare a place for you”
"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me.
In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you.
I am going there to prepare a place for you.
And if I go and prepare a place for you,
I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.
You know the way to the place where I am going."
Thomas said to him,
"Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?"
Jesus answered,
"I am the way and the truth and the life.
No one comes to the Father except through me.”
** Romans 8: 31b-35, 37-39 – Nothing can separate us from God’s love
If God is for us, who can be against us?
He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all –
how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?
Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen?
It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns?
Christ Jesus, who died - more than that, who was raised to life –
is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?
Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine
or nakedness or danger or sword?
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
For I am convinced that neither death nor life,
neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future,
nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation,
will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Suitable for the funeral of a child/young person
People were bringing little children to Jesus to have him touch them,
but the disciples rebuked them.
When Jesus saw this, he was indignant.
He said to them, "Let the little children come to me,
and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.
I tell you the truth,
anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it."
And he took the children in his arms,
put his hands on them and blessed them.
John 6: 37-40 – “I will raise them up”
All that the Father gives me will come to me,
and whoever comes to me I will never drive away.
For I have come down from heaven not to do my will
but to do the will of him who sent me.
And this is the will of him who sent me,
that I shall lose none of all that he has given me,
but raise them up at the last day.
For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son
and believes in him shall have eternal life,
and I will raise him up at the last day."
** John 14: 1-6 – “I go to prepare a place for you”
"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me.
In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you.
I am going there to prepare a place for you.
And if I go and prepare a place for you,
I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.
You know the way to the place where I am going."
Thomas said to him,
"Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?"
Jesus answered,
"I am the way and the truth and the life.
No one comes to the Father except through me.”
** Romans 8: 31b-35, 37-39 – Nothing can separate us from God’s love
If God is for us, who can be against us?
He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all –
how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?
Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen?
It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns?
Christ Jesus, who died - more than that, who was raised to life –
is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?
Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine
or nakedness or danger or sword?
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
For I am convinced that neither death nor life,
neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future,
nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation,
will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
1 Corinthians 15: 20-22, 51-57 – Death, where is your victory?
Christ has indeed been raised from the dead,
the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep.
For since death came through a man,
the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man.
For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.
Listen, I tell you a mystery:
We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed –
in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet.
For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable,
and we will be changed.
For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable,
and the mortal with immortality.
When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable,
and the mortal with immortality,
then the saying that is written will come true:
"Death has been swallowed up in victory."
"Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?"
The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.
But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
2 Timothy 4: 6-8 - Departing for better things to come
For I am already being poured out like a drink offering,
and the time has come for my departure.
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race,
I have kept the faith.
Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness,
which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day –
and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.
Revelation 7: 9-17 – John sees the whole host of heaven before God’s throne
I, John, looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count,
from every nation, tribe, people and language,
standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb.
They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands.
And they cried out in a loud voice:
"Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb."
All the angels were standing around the throne
and around the elders and the four living creatures.
They fell down on their faces before the throne and worshipped God, saying:
"Amen! Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honour
and power and strength be to our God for ever and ever. Amen!"
Then one of the elders asked me,
"These in white robes - who are they, and where did they come from?"
I answered, "Sir, you know."
And he said,
"These are they who have come out of the great tribulation;
they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
“Therefore, they are before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his temple;
and he who sits on the throne will spread his tent over them.
Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst.
The sun will not beat upon them, nor any scorching heat.
For the Lamb at the centre of the throne will be their shepherd;
he will lead them to springs of living water.
And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes."
** Revelation 21: 1-7 – John sees the new order of heaven and earth, where death is no more.
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth,
for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away,
and there was no longer any sea.
I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God,
prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.
And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying,
"Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them.
They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.
He will wipe every tear from their eyes.
There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain,
for the old order of things has passed away."
He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!"
Then he said, "Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true."
He said to me:
"It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End.
To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life.
He who overcomes will inherit all this,
and I will be his God and he will be my son.”
Christ has indeed been raised from the dead,
the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep.
For since death came through a man,
the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man.
For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.
Listen, I tell you a mystery:
We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed –
in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet.
For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable,
and we will be changed.
For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable,
and the mortal with immortality.
When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable,
and the mortal with immortality,
then the saying that is written will come true:
"Death has been swallowed up in victory."
"Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?"
The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.
But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
2 Timothy 4: 6-8 - Departing for better things to come
For I am already being poured out like a drink offering,
and the time has come for my departure.
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race,
I have kept the faith.
Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness,
which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day –
and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.
Revelation 7: 9-17 – John sees the whole host of heaven before God’s throne
I, John, looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count,
from every nation, tribe, people and language,
standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb.
They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands.
And they cried out in a loud voice:
"Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb."
All the angels were standing around the throne
and around the elders and the four living creatures.
They fell down on their faces before the throne and worshipped God, saying:
"Amen! Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honour
and power and strength be to our God for ever and ever. Amen!"
Then one of the elders asked me,
"These in white robes - who are they, and where did they come from?"
I answered, "Sir, you know."
And he said,
"These are they who have come out of the great tribulation;
they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
“Therefore, they are before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his temple;
and he who sits on the throne will spread his tent over them.
Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst.
The sun will not beat upon them, nor any scorching heat.
For the Lamb at the centre of the throne will be their shepherd;
he will lead them to springs of living water.
And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes."
** Revelation 21: 1-7 – John sees the new order of heaven and earth, where death is no more.
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth,
for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away,
and there was no longer any sea.
I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God,
prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.
And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying,
"Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them.
They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.
He will wipe every tear from their eyes.
There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain,
for the old order of things has passed away."
He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!"
Then he said, "Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true."
He said to me:
"It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End.
To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life.
He who overcomes will inherit all this,
and I will be his God and he will be my son.”