2 Corinthians 4 v 16 – 18, 5 v 1 – 10

Revised English Bible

No wonder we do not lose heart! Though our outward humanity is in decay, yet day by day we are inwardly renewed. Our troubles are slight and short-lived, and their outcome is an eternal glory which far outweighs them, provided our eyes are fixed, not on the things that are seen, but on the things that are unseen; for what is seen is transient, what is unseen is eternal. We know that if the earthly frame that houses us today is demolished, we possess a building which God has provided – a house not made by human hands, eternal and in heaven. In this present body we groan, yearning to be covered by our heavenly habitation put on over this one, in the hope that, being thus clothed, we shall not find ourselves naked. We groan indeed, we who are enclosed within this earthly frame, we are oppressed because we do not want to have the old body stripped off. What we want is to be covered by the new body put on over it, so that our mortality may be absorbed into life immortal. It is for this destiny that God himself has been shaping us; and as a pledge of it he has given us the Spirit.

Therefore we never cease to be confident. We know that so long as we are at home in the body we are exiles from the Lord; faith is our guide, not sight. We are confident, I say, and would rather be exiled from the body and make our home with the Lord. That is why it is our ambition, wherever we are, at home or in exile, to be acceptable to him. For we must all have our lives laid open before the tribunal of Christ, where each must receive what is due to him for his conduct in the body, good or bad.

About This Reading

This reading from 2 Corinthians offers a Christian message of courage and hope in the face of death, acknowledging human frailty while emphasising inward renewal and an eternal glory beyond what we can see. It speaks of the earthly body as temporary, and of a lasting home prepared by God, with the Spirit given as a promise of what is to come. The tone is steady, reassuring, and rooted in faith.

It is especially suitable for Christian funerals, including Church of England and other denominations, and works well during the main service readings or as a central reflection before prayers. Families often choose this passage when they want to honour someone’s faith, or when they hope to comfort mourners with the idea of life continuing with the Lord. It can be fitting for a parent, spouse, or close friend, offering strength to those grieving by focusing on what is eternal rather than what is transient.

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