Funeral reading
Hebrews 11:1–2, 13–16
King James Bible
“Hebrews 11:1–2, 13–16” by King James Bible is a scripture reading read at a funeral or memorial service. It takes about 45 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
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good report. These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.
Public domain, so these words can be printed in a ceremony script or an order of service.
What it is about
Pilgrims and strangers looking for a country. Lands hard for a family who emigrated.
Read at a funeral or memorial service. Themes: faith · pilgrims and strangers · seeking a country · an immigrant life · a city prepared.
Questions about reading it aloud
How long does “Hebrews 11:1–2, 13–16” take to read aloud?
“Hebrews 11:1–2, 13–16” takes about 45 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 “Hebrews 11:1–2, 13–16”?
Usually a guest reader rather than the officiant. “Hebrews 11:1–2, 13–16” runs about 45 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 “Hebrews 11:1–2, 13–16” 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.