Farewell Service

Hymns, readings and a printed program for a Christian funeral

Ecclesiastes 3:1–8

A Bible reading for a funeral, with the full text in the King James Version and the Douay-Rheims.

Reads in about 1 minute8 versesProtestant

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King James Version

  1. 1To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
  2. 2A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
  3. 3A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
  4. 4A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
  5. 5A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
  6. 6A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
  7. 7A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
  8. 8A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.

Douay-Rheims

  1. 1All things have their season, and in their times all things pass under heaven.
  2. 2A time to be born and a time to die. A time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted.
  3. 3A time to kill, and a time to heal. A time to destroy, and a time to build.
  4. 4A time to weep, and a time to laugh. A time to mourn, and a time to dance.
  5. 5A time to scatter stones, and a time to gather. A time to embrace, and a time to be far from embraces.
  6. 6A time to get, and a time to lose. A time to keep, and a time to cast away.
  7. 7A time to rend, and a time to sew. A time to keep silence, and a time to speak.
  8. 8A time of love, and a time of hatred. A time of war, and a time of peace.

Most Catholic parishes in the US read the New American Bible. Read Ecclesiastes 3 in the NABRE at usccb.org.

Where this reading is used

  • Protestant: a common funeral reading

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