1. A reading from the Acts of the Apostles (10:34-43)
Then Peter proceeded to speak and said:
“In truth, I see that God shows no partiality. Rather, in every
nation whoever fears him and acts uprightly is acceptable to
him. You know the word (that) he sent to the Israelites as he
proclaimed peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all,
what has happened all over Judea, beginning in Galilee after
the baptism that John preached, how God anointed Jesus of
Nazareth with the holy Spirit and power. He went about doing
good and healing all those oppressed by the devil, for God was
with him. We are witnesses of all that he did both in the
country of the Jews and (in) Jerusalem. They put him to death
by hanging him on a tree. This man God raised (on) the third
day and granted that he be visible, not to all the people, but to
us, the witnesses chosen by God in advance, who ate and
drank with him after he rose from the dead. He commissioned
us to preach to the people and testify that he is the one
appointed by God as judge of the living and the dead. To him all
the prophets bear witness, that everyone who believes in him
will receive forgiveness of sins through his name.”
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2. A reading from the letter of Saint Paul to the Romans (5:5-
11)
Hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been
poured out into our hearts through the holy Spirit that has been
given to us. For Christ, while we were still helpless, yet died at
the appointed time for the ungodly. Indeed, only with difficulty
does one die for a just person, though perhaps for a good
person one might even find courage to die. But God proves his
love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us.
How much more then, since we are now justified by his blood,
will we be saved through him from the wrath. Indeed, if, while
we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the
death of his Son, how much more, once reconciled, will we be
saved by his life. Not only that, but we also boast of God
through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now
received reconciliation.
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3. A reading from the letter of Saint Paul to the Romans
(5:17-21)
If, by the transgression of one person, death came to reign
through that one, how much more will those who receive the
abundance of grace and of the gift of justification come to reign
in life through the one person Jesus Christ. In conclusion, just
as through one transgression, condemnation came upon all,
so through one righteous act acquittal and life came to all. For
just as through the disobedience of one person the many were
made sinners, so through the obedience of one the many will
be made righteous. The law entered in so that transgression
might increase but, where sin increased, grace overflowed all
the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might
reign through justification for eternal life through Jesus Christ
our Lord.
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4. A reading from the letter of Saint Paul to the Romans (6:3-
9)
Are you unaware that we who were baptized into Christ Jesus
were baptized into his death? We were indeed buried with him
through baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised
from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might live in
newness of life. For if we have grown into union with him
through a death like his, we shall also be united with him in the
resurrection. We know that our old self was crucified with him,
so that our sinful body might be done away with, that we might
no longer be in slavery to sin. For a dead person has been
absolved from sin. If then, we have died with Christ, we believe
that we shall also live with him. We know that Christ, raised
from the dead, dies no more; death no longer has power over
him.
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5. A reading from the letter of Saint Paul to the Romans
(8:14-23)
Those who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. For
you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but
you received a spirit of adoption, through which we cry, “Abba,
Father!” The Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit that we
are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God
and joint heirs with Christ, if only we suffer with him so that we
may also be glorified with him. I consider that the sufferings of
this present time are as nothing compared with the glory to be
revealed for us. For creation awaits with eager expectation the
revelation of the children of God; for creation was made
subject to futility, not of its own accord but because of the one
who subjected it, in hope that creation itself would be set free
from slavery to corruption and share in the glorious freedom of
the children of God. We know that all creation is groaning in
labor pains even until now; and not only that, but we ourselves,
who have the first fruits of the Spirit, we also groan within
ourselves as we wait for adoption, the redemption of our
bodies.
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6. A reading from the letter of Saint Paul to the Romans
(8:31b-35, 37-39)
If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare
his own Son but handed him over for us all, how will he not also
give us everything else along with him? Who will bring a charge
against God’s chosen ones? It is God who acquits us. Who will
condemn? It is Christ (Jesus) who died, rather, was raised, who
also is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us.
What will separate us from the love of Christ? Will anguish, or
distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or
the sword? No, in all these things we conquer overwhelmingly
through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither
death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor present
things, nor future things, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor
any other creature will be able to separate us from the love of
God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
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7. A reading from the letter of Saint Paul to the Romans
(14:7-9, 10b-12)
None of us lives for oneself, and no one dies for oneself. For if
we live, we live for the Lord, and if we die, we die for the Lord;
so then, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s. For this is
why Christ died and came to life, that he might be Lord of both
the dead and the living. For we shall all stand before the
judgment seat of God; for it is written: “As I live, says the Lord,
every knee shall bend before me, and every tongue shall give
praise to God.” So (then) each of us shall give an account of
himself (to God).
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8. A reading from the first letter of Saint Paul to the
Corinthians (15:20-23, 24b-28)
Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those
who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a
human being, the resurrection of the dead came also through a
human being. For just as in Adam all die, so too in Christ shall
all be brought to life, but each one in proper order: Christ the
first fruits; then, at his coming, those who belong to Christ;
then comes the end, when he hands over the kingdom to his
God and Father. For he must reign until he has put all his
enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is
death, for “he subjected everything under his feet.” But when it
says that everything has been subjected, it is clear that it
excludes the one who subjected everything to him. When
everything is subjected to him, then the Son himself will (also)
be subjected to the one who subjected everything to him, so
that God may be all in all.
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9. A reading from the first letter of Saint Paul to the
Corinthians (15:51-57)
Behold, I tell you a mystery. We shall not all fall asleep, but we
will all be changed, in an instant, in the blink of an eye, at the
last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be
raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For that which is
corruptible must clothe itself with incorruptibility, and that
which is mortal must clothe itself with immortality. And when
this which is corruptible clothes itself with incorruptibility and
this which is mortal clothes itself with immortality, then the
word that is written shall come about: “Death is swallowed up
in victory. Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is
your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the
law. But thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our
Lord Jesus Christ.
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10. A reading from the second letter of Saint Paul to the
Corinthians (4:14—5:1)
We know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us
also with Jesus and place us with you in his presence.
Everything indeed is for you, so that the grace bestowed in
abundance on more and more people may cause the
thanksgiving to overflow for the glory of God. Therefore, we are
not discouraged; rather, although our outer self is wasting
away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this
momentary light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight
of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to what is seen
but to what is unseen; for what is seen is transitory, but what is
unseen is eternal. For we know that if our earthly dwelling, a
tent, should be destroyed, we have a building from God, a
dwelling not made with hands, eternal in heaven.
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11. A reading from the second letter of Saint Paul to the
Corinthians (5:1, 6-10)
For we know that if our earthly dwelling, a tent, should be
destroyed, we have a building from God, a dwelling not made
with hands, eternal in heaven. So we are always courageous,
although we know that while we are at home in the body we are
away from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight. Yet we
are courageous, and we would rather leave the body and go
home to the Lord. Therefore, we aspire to please him, whether
we are at home or away. For we must all appear before the
judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive
recompense, according to what he did in the body, whether
good or evil.
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12. A reading from the letter of Saint Paul to the Philippians
(3:20-21)
Our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we also await a savior,
the Lord Jesus Christ. He will change our lowly body to
conform with his glorified body by the power that enables him
also to bring all things into subjection to himself.
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13. A reading from the first letter of Saint Paul to the
Thessalonians (4:13-18)
We do not want you to be unaware, brothers, about those who
have fallen asleep, so that you may not grieve like the rest, who
have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose, so too
will God, through Jesus, bring with him those who have fallen
asleep. Indeed, we tell you this, on the word of the Lord, that
we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will
surely not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord
himself, with a word of command, with the voice of an
archangel and with the trumpet of God, will come down from
heaven, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are
alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the
clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Thus, we shall always be
with the Lord. Therefore, console one another with these
words.
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14. A reading from the second letter of Saint Paul to the
Timothy (2:8-13)
Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, a descendant of
David: such is my gospel, for which I am suffering, even to the
point of chains, like a criminal. But the word of God is not
chained. Therefore, I bear with everything for the sake of those
who are chosen, so that they too may obtain the salvation that
is in Christ Jesus, together with eternal glory. This saying is
trustworthy: If we have died with him, we shall also live with
him; if we persevere, we shall also reign with him. But if we
deny him, he will deny us. If we are unfaithful, he remains
faithful, for he cannot deny himself.
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15. A reading from the first letter of John (3:1-2)
See what love the Father has bestowed on us that we may be
called the children of God. Yet so we are. The reason the world
does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are
God’s children now; what we shall be has not yet been
revealed. We do know that when it is revealed we shall be like
him, for we shall see him as he is.
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16. A reading from the first letter of John (3:14-16)
We know that we have passed from death to life because we
love our brothers. Whoever does not love remains in death.
Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know
that no murderer has eternal life remaining in him. The way we
came to know love was that he laid down his life for us; so we
ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.
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17. A reading from the book of Revelation (14:13)
I heard a voice from heaven say, “Write this: Blessed are the
dead who die in the Lord from now on.” “Yes,” said the Spirit,
“let them find rest from their labors, for their works accompany
them.”
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18. A reading from the book of Revelation (20:11—21:1)
Next, I saw a large white throne and the one who was sitting on
it. The earth and the sky fled from his presence and there was
no place for them. I saw the dead, the great and the lowly,
standing before the throne, and scrolls were opened. Then
another scroll was opened, the book of life. The dead were
judged according to their deeds, by what was written in the
scrolls. The sea gave up its dead; then Death and Hades gave
up their dead. All the dead were judged according to their
deeds. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the pool of fire.
(This pool of fire is the second death.) Anyone whose name
was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the
pool of fire. Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth. The
former heaven and the former earth had passed away, and the
sea was no more.
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19. A reading from the book of Revelation (21:1-5a, 6b-7)
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth. The former heaven
and the former earth had passed away, and the sea was no
more. I also saw the holy city, a new Jerusalem, coming down
out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her
husband. I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold,
God’s dwelling is with the human race. He will dwell with them,
and they will be his people and God himself will always be with
them (as their God). He will wipe every tear from their eyes,
and there shall be no more death or mourning, wailing or pain,
(for) the old order has passed away.” The one who sat on the
throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” I (am) the Alpha
and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will
give a gift from the spring of life-giving water. The victor will
inherit these gifts, and I shall be his God, and he will be my
son.
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