Farewell Service

Hymns, readings and a printed program for a Christian funeral

1 Corinthians 15:51–57

A Catholic funeral reading (second reading), with the full text in the King James Version and the Douay-Rheims.

Reads in about 1 minute7 versesCatholic: New Testament

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King James Version

  1. 51Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
  2. 52In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
  3. 53For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
  4. 54So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
  5. 55O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
  6. 56The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.
  7. 57But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Douay-Rheims

  1. 51Behold, I tell you a mystery. We shall all indeed rise again: but we shall not all be changed.
  2. 52In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet: for the trumpet shall sound and the dead shall rise again incorruptible. And we shall be changed.
  3. 53For this corruptible must put on incorruption: and this mortal must put on immortality.
  4. 54And when this mortal hath put on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: Death is swallowed up in victory.
  5. 55O death, where is thy victory? O death, where is thy sting?
  6. 56Now the sting of death is sin: and the power of sin is the law.
  7. 57But thanks be to God, who hath given us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Most Catholic parishes in the US read the New American Bible. Read 1 Corinthians 15 in the NABRE at usccb.org.

Where this reading is used

  • Catholic: New Testament (Lectionary for Mass, no. 1014)
  • Protestant: a common funeral reading

Hymns based on it

Scripture: King James Version (1769 text) and Douay-Rheims Bible, Challoner revision (Project Gutenberg #1581); both public domain. Citation as listed in the Lectionary for Mass.