Revelation 21:1–7 — No More Death, Neither Sorrow

King James Version · hope

And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.

Why families choose it

The Bible saves this for its final pages, and funerals reach for it for the same reason — it is the end of the story, read at the end of a life. One verse does the heaviest work: tears, death, sorrow, crying, pain, each named and each ended, and it is God's own hand that wipes the tears — the gesture of a parent, not a judge. When a service needs to close looking all the way forward, nothing looks further than this.

Reading it aloud

This is a vision, so read it as one — as if describing something you can see. The list of endings is the heart: give 'no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying' room between the phrases, because each lands on somebody differently. 'Behold, I make all things new' should sound like the announcement it is. If this closes the service, let the final sentence settle before anyone moves.

In the programme, list it in the order of service as “Scripture Reading — Revelation 21:1–7” with the reader’s name beside it. The full text is public domain and may be printed on the life-story or back page.

Often read alongside: Revelation 14:13 Isaiah 25:6–9 John 14:1–6

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