Farewell Service

Hymns, readings and a printed program for a Christian funeral

Romans 8:14–39

A reading from the 1928 Prayer Book burial service, with the full text in the King James Version and the Douay-Rheims.

Reads in about 5 minutes26 versesEpiscopal 1928

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King James Version

  1. 14For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
  2. 15For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
  3. 16The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
  4. 17And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.
  5. 18For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
  6. 19For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.
  7. 20For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,
  8. 21Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
  9. 22For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.
  10. 23And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.
  11. 24For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?
  12. 25But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.
  13. 26Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
  14. 27And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
  15. 28And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
  16. 29For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
  17. 30Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.
  18. 31What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?
  19. 32He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?
  20. 33Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth.
  21. 34Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.
  22. 35Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
  23. 36As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
  24. 37Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
  25. 38For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
  26. 39Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Douay-Rheims

  1. 14For whosoever are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
  2. 15For you have not received the spirit of bondage again in fear: but you have received the spirit of adoption of sons, whereby we cry: Abba (Father).
  3. 16For the Spirit himself giveth testimony to our spirit that we are the sons of God.
  4. 17And if sons, heirs also; heirs indeed of God and joint heirs with Christ: yet so, if we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified with him.
  5. 18For I reckon that the sufferings of this time are not worthy to be compared with the glory to come that shall be revealed in us.
  6. 19For the expectation of the creature waiteth for the revelation of the sons of God.
  7. 20For the creature was made subject to vanity: not willingly, but by reason of him that made it subject, in hope.
  8. 21Because the creature also itself shall be delivered from the servitude of corruption, into the liberty of the glory of the children of God.
  9. 22For we know that every creature groaneth and travaileth in pain, even till now.
  10. 23And not only it, but ourselves also, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit: even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption of the sons of God, the redemption of our body.
  11. 24For we are saved by hope. But hope that is seen is not hope. For what a man seeth, why doth he hope for?
  12. 25But if we hope for that which we see not, we wait for it with patience.
  13. 26Likewise, the Spirit also helpeth our infirmity. For, we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit himself asketh for us with unspeakable groanings,
  14. 27And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what the Spirit desireth: because he asketh for the saints according to God.
  15. 28And we know that to them that love God all things work together unto good: to such as, according to his purpose, are called to be saints.
  16. 29For whom he foreknew, he also predestinated to be made conformable to the image of his Son: that he might be the Firstborn amongst many brethren.
  17. 30And whom he predestinated, them he also called. And whom he called, them he also justified. And whom he justified, them he also glorified.
  18. 31What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who is against us?
  19. 32He that spared not even his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how hath he not also, with him, given us all things?
  20. 33Who shall accuse against the elect of God? God is he that justifieth:
  21. 34Who is he that shall condemn? Christ Jesus that died: yea that is risen also again, who is at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.
  22. 35Who then shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation? Or distress? Or famine? Or nakedness? Or danger? Or persecution? Or the sword?
  23. 36(As it is written: For thy sake, we are put to death all the day long. We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.)
  24. 37But in all these things we overcome, because of him that hath loved us.
  25. 38For I am sure that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor might,
  26. 39Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Most Catholic parishes in the US read the New American Bible. Read Romans 8 in the NABRE at usccb.org.

Where this reading is used

  • Episcopal: the lesson in the 1928 Prayer Book burial office

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 1928 Book of Common Prayer.