The following are lists of Scriptures appropriate for use at Catholic Funeral Liturgies. One reading is chosen from each the Old Testament, the New Testament, and the Gospels.

*Other Scripture passages can be presented to the presider for approval.

**Non-Scripture readings cannot be read in place of these readings, but could be used in the worship aides or through some other means.

Old Testament

2 Maccabees 12:43-46 “…he made atonement for the dead…”
Job 19:1,23-27 “…I know that my vindicator lives….”
Ecclesiastes 3.1-8 “…A time to be born, a time to die…”
Ecclesiastes 3.1-15 “…A time to be born, a time to die…”
Wisdom 3.1-9 “…The souls of the just are in the hand of God…”
Wisdom 3:1-6, 9 “…The souls of the just are in the hand of God…”
Wisdom 4:7-14 “The Righteous One, though he die early, shall be at rest…”
Sirach 2:1-11 “…in fire gold is tested….Compassionate is the Lord…”
Isaiah 25:6,7-9 “…he will destroy death forever…”
Isaiah 26:7-19 “…your dead shall live, their corpses shall rise…”
Isaiah 35:1-10 “…Here is your God, he comes with vindication…”
Isaiah 40:1-11 “…Here is your God, Here comes with power…”
Lamentations 3:17-26 “…My portion is the Lord, says my soul…”
Ezekiel 37:12-14 “O my people, I will open your graves and have you rise…”
Daniel 12:1-3 “…the wise shall shine brightly…”
Micah 7:7-9 “…though I sit in darkness, the Lord is my light…”


New Testament

Acts 10:34-43 “…Everyone who believes in him will receive forgiveness of sins”
Acts of the Apostles 10:34-36, 42-43 “…Everyone who believes in him will receive forgiveness of sins”
Romans 5:5-11 “…We were reconciled to God through the death of his Son…”
Romans 5:17-21 “…through one righteous act acquittal and life came to all…”
Romans 6:3-9 “…if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall live with him…”
Romans 6:3-4.8-9 “…if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall live with him…”
Romans 8:1-11 “…There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ…”
Romans 8:14-23 “…Those who are led by the Spirit of God are Children of God”
Romans 8:31-35, 37-39 “…If God is for us, who can be against us?”
Romans 14:7-9, 10-12 “…This is why Christ died and came to life”
1 Corinthians 2:6-10 “…”Eye has not seen, and ear has not heard…”
1 Corinthians 15:12-20 “If there is no resurrection of the dead…”
1 Corinthians 15:20-28 “In Adam all die, so too if Christ shall all be brought to life.”
1 Corinthians 15:51-57 “Death where is your victory?”
2 Corinthians 4:14-5:1 “The one who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us…”
2 Corinthians 5:1, 6-10 “We would rather leave the body and go home…”
Philippians 3.7-14 “…I run toward the prize to which God calls me…”
Philippians 3.20-21(1) “He will change our lowly body…”
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 “If we believe that Jesus died and rose…”
2 Timothy 2:8-13 “Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead…”
2 Timothy 4:1-2, 6-8 “I have competed well, I have finished the race…”
1 John 3:1-2 “Beloved, we are God’s children now…”
1 John 3:14-16 “We know that we have passed from death to life…”
Revelation 14:13 “…Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord…”
Revelation 20:11-21:1 “…The sea gave up its dead; then Death and Hades…”
Revelation 21:1-5, 6-7 “…I also saw the holy city, a new Jerusalem…”


Gospel

Matthew 5:1-12 “The Eight Beatitudes”
Matthew 11:25-30 “come to me . . . and I will give you rest.”
Matthew 25:1-13 “Look. The bridegroom comes. Go out to meet him”
Matthew 25:31-46 “Come, you whom my Father has blessed”
Mark 15:33-39 “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
Mark 15:33–16:6 “Jesus gave a loud cry and breathed his last”
Luke 7:11-17 “Young man, I say to you, arise.”
Luke 12:35-40 “Be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect,…”
Luke 23:33, 39-43 “Today you will be with me in paradise.”
Luke 23.44-49 “Father, I put my life in your hands.”
Luke 23:44-49 “Father into your hands I commend my spirit”
Luke 24:13-35 “Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer…”
Luke 24:13-16,28-35 “Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer…”
John 5:24-29 “Whoever hears my word and believes has passed from…”
John 6:37-40 “All who believe in the Son will have eternal life…”
John 6:51-58 “All who eat this bread will live for ever….”
John 11:17-27 “I am the resurrection and the life.”
John 11:21-27 “I am the resurrection and the life.”
John 11:32-45 “Lazarus, come out.”
John 12:23-28 “If a grain of wheat falls on the ground and dies…”
John 12:23-26 “If a grain of wheat falls on the ground and dies…”
John 14.1-6 “There are many rooms in my Father’s house.”
John 17.24-26 “Father, I want those you have given me to be with me…”
John 19:17-18, 25-39 “Jesus bowed his head and gave up his spirits.”

Here are other alternate suggestions for appropriate readings:

Old Testament

Proverbs 31:10-13, 19-20, 30-31
Ecclesiastes 3:1-15
Song of Songs 8:6-7
Isaiah 35:1-6, 10
Isaiah 41:8-10, 13
Isaiah 57:15-19
Isaiah 61.1-3
Isaiah 65:17-21
Ezekiel 34:11-16
Micah 6:6-8
Zephaniah 3:16

New Testament

Acts 10:34-43
Romans 5:5-11
Romans 5:17-21
Romans 6:3-9
Romans 8:14-23
Romans 8:3lb-35, 37-39
Romans 14:7-9, l0b-12
I Corinthians 15:20-23, 24b-28
I Corinthians 15:51-57
2 Corinthians 4:14 -5:1
2 Corinthians 5:1, 6-10
Ephesians 3:14-21
Philippians 3:20-21
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
2 Timothy 2:8-13
2 Timothy 4:6-8, 17- 18
1 Peter 1:3-9
1 John 3:1-2
1 John 3:14-16
Revelation 14:13
Revelation 20:11 – 21:1
Revelation 21:1-5a, 6b-7
Revelation 22:1-7

Gospel

Matthew 6:19-23
Luke 1:67-74
John 3:13-17
John 10:11-18
John 10:27-30