Funeral reading
Isaiah 40:28–31
King James Bible
“Isaiah 40:28–31” (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
Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding. He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.
Public domain, so these words can be printed in a ceremony script or an order of service.
Where it comes from
Isaiah 40 opens with “Comfort ye, comfort ye my people”, and these verses close the chapter.
What it says
Have you not known, have you not heard? The everlasting God does not faint or grow weary. He gives power to the faint and strength to those who have none. Even the young will be exhausted and fall, but those who wait upon the Lord will renew their strength. They will mount up with wings as eagles, they will run and not be weary, they will walk and not faint.
For a family worn out by a long illness. Read at a funeral or memorial service. Themes: strength for the exhausted · wings as eagles · a long illness · carers · endurance.
Who it suits
Funerals after a long illness, where the family has watched the person grow weak, and services for athletes, runners and active people. It suits someone who cared for others to the point of exhaustion. The eagles line makes it a favorite for anyone who loved the outdoors.
Where it goes in the ceremony
As a main reading, or just before the commendation. Often read by a family member who was a carer, or a friend from the person’s sport or club.
Reading it aloud
The text on this page is 98 words. At a ceremony pace of about 130 words a minute, which is slower than conversation, that comes to about 45 seconds of reading.
- The opening questions are rhetorical. Read them as a gentle challenge to the room.
- The three verbs at the end, mount up, run, walk, slow down as they go. Let your pace slow with them.
- Finish on “walk, and not faint” and pause before stepping away.
Questions about reading it aloud
How long does “Isaiah 40:28–31” take to read aloud?
“Isaiah 40:28–31” 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 “Isaiah 40:28–31”?
Usually a guest reader rather than the officiant. “Isaiah 40:28–31” 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 “Isaiah 40:28–31” 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.