Wedding reading
Ruth 1:16–17a
King James Bible
“Ruth 1:16–17a” by King James Bible is a scripture reading read at weddings and funerals alike. It takes about 30 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
Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God: Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried.
Public domain, so these words can be printed in a ceremony script or an order of service.
What it is about
Said between two women, and the most quoted promise in scripture.
Read at weddings and funerals alike. Themes: loyalty · devotion · joining a family · two families becoming one · chosen family.
Questions about reading it aloud
How long does “Ruth 1:16–17a” take to read aloud?
“Ruth 1:16–17a” takes about 30 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 “Ruth 1:16–17a”?
Usually a guest reader rather than the officiant. “Ruth 1:16–17a” runs about 30 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 “Ruth 1:16–17a” 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 vows, the ring exchange, the pronouncement — and the timing that holds them together. Answer some questions about the couple and get the whole ceremony, written out, with this reading in its place.