Farewell Service

Hymns, readings and a printed program for a Christian funeral

John 6:51–58

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

Reads in about 1 minute8 versesCatholic: Gospel

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King James Version

  1. 51I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.
  2. 52The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat?
  3. 53Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.
  4. 54Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.
  5. 55For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.
  6. 56He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.
  7. 57As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.
  8. 58This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever.

Douay-Rheims

  1. 51I am the living bread which came down from heaven.
  2. 52If any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, for the life of the world.
  3. 53The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying: How can this man give us his flesh to eat?
  4. 54Then Jesus said to them: Amen, amen, I say unto you: except you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you shall not have life in you.
  5. 55He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath everlasting life: and I will raise him up in the last day.
  6. 56For my flesh is meat indeed: and my blood is drink indeed.
  7. 57He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood abideth in me: and I in him.
  8. 58As the living Father hath sent me and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, the same also shall live by me.
  9. 59This is the bread that came down from heaven. Not as your fathers did eat manna and are dead. He that eateth this bread shall live for ever.

Most Catholic parishes in the US read the New American Bible. Read John 6 in the NABRE at usccb.org.

Where this reading is used

  • Catholic: Gospel (Lectionary for Mass, no. 1016)

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.