Funeral reading
1 Corinthians 15:20–26
King James Bible
“1 Corinthians 15:20–26” by King James Bible is a scripture reading read at a funeral or memorial service. It takes about 50 seconds read aloud, usually by a guest reader. It is in the public domain, so the full text is printed on this page and goes straight into a ceremony script.
The full text
But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming. Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.
Public domain, so these words can be printed in a ceremony script or an order of service.
What it is about
"The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death."
Read at a funeral or memorial service. Themes: resurrection · the last enemy · firstfruits · death defeated.
Questions about reading it aloud
How long does “1 Corinthians 15:20–26” take to read aloud?
“1 Corinthians 15:20–26” takes about 50 seconds read aloud at a ceremony pace, which is slower than conversation — roughly 130 words a minute. That is the figure the run-sheet uses when it works out the timing for the whole service.
Who usually reads “1 Corinthians 15:20–26”?
Usually a guest reader rather than the officiant. “1 Corinthians 15:20–26” runs about 50 seconds, which is a manageable amount to hand to a friend or family member. Give them a printed copy of their own, in a size they can read without their glasses, and tell them where to stand and how you will introduce them.
Can “1 Corinthians 15:20–26” be printed in a ceremony script?
Yes. It is in the public domain, so the full text is on this page and can be printed in a script or an order of service.
Where this text was checked
Checked word for word against a full-text edition that is itself the authority — a Project Gutenberg or Wikisource transcription, a publisher’s own edition, or the issuing body’s page.
Checked
A reading is two minutes of the hour.
The rest is the welcome, the life, the remembrances, the committal — and knowing what comes next. Answer some questions about them and get the whole service, written out, with this reading in its place.