37 Catholic Wedding Readings For Your Ceremony

37 Catholic Wedding Readings For Your Ceremony
Table of Contents Show
  1. Catholic Wedding Readings  From The Old Testament 
    1. 1.  A Reading From The Book Of Genesis (1:26-28, 31)
    2.  2. A Reading From The Book Of Genesis (2:18-24)
    3. 3. A Reading From The Book Of Genesis (24:48-51. 58-67)
    4.  4. A Reading From The Book Of Ruth (1:16-17)
    5. 5.  A Reading From The Song Of Songs (2:8-10,14,16; 8:6-7)
    6. 6.  A Reading From The Song Of Songs (2:10-14, 16)
    7. 7.  A Reading From The Book Of Sirach (26: 1-4)
    8. 8.  A Reading From The Book Of Tobit (8:4-8)
    9. 9.  A Reading From The Prophet Jeremiah (31:31-34)
  2. 37 Catholic Wedding Readings For Your CeremonyResponsorial Psalms For Your Catholic  Wedding Ceremony
    1. 10. Psalm 33:12 and 18, 20-21, 22
    2. 11. Psalm 34:2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9
    3. 12. Psalm 103:1-2, 8 and 13, 17-18a
    4. 13. Psalm 112:1bc-2, 3-4, 5-7a, 7b-8, 9
  3. Catholic Wedding Readings From The New Testament
    1. 14. A Reading From The Letter Of Saint Paul To The Romans (8:31-35, 37-39)
    2. 15. A Reading From The Letter Of Saint Paul To The Romans( 12:1-2, 9-18)
    3. 16. A Reading From The Letter Of Saint Paul To The Romans (Verse 15:1-3, 5-7, 13)
    4. 17. A Reading From The First Letter Of Saint Paul To The Corinthians (6:13-15, 17-20)
    5. 18. A Reading From The First Letter Of Saint Paul To The Corinthians (12:31–13:8)
    6. 19. A Reading From The Letter Of Saint Paul To The Ephesians (4:1-6)
    7. 20. A Reading From The Letter Of Saint Paul To The Ephesians (5:2, 21-33)
    8. 21. A Reading From The Letter Of Saint Paul To The Philippians (4:4-9)
    9. 22. A Reading From The Letter Of Saint Paul To The Colossians (3:12-17)
    10. 23. A Reading From The Letter To The Hebrews (13:1-4, 5-6)
    11. 24. A Reading From The First Letter Of Saint Peter (3:1-9)
    12. 25. A Reading From The First Letter Of Saint John (3:18-24)
    13. 26. A Reading From The First Letter Of Saint John (4:7-12)
    14. 27. A Reading From The Book Of Revelation (19:1, 5-9)
  4. Catholic Wedding Readings From The Gospels
    1. 28. A Reading From The Holy Gospel According To Matthew (5:1-12)
    2. 29.  A Reading From The Holy Gospel According To Matthew (5:13-16)
    3. 30.  A Reading From The Holy Gospel According To Matthew (7:21,24-29)
    4. 31.  A Reading From The Holy Gospel According To Matthew (19:3-6)
    5. 32.  A Reading From The Holy Gospel According To Matthew (22:35-40)
    6. 33.  A Reading From The Holy Gospel According To Mark (10: 6-9)
    7. 34.   A Reading From The Holy Gospel According To John (2:1-11)
    8. 35.  A Reading From The Holy Gospel According To John (15:9-12)
    9. 36.  A Reading From The Holy Gospel According To John (15:12-16).
    10. 37. A Reading From The Holy Gospel According To John (17:20-23)
  5. Final Thoughts

Wedding readings hold great significance in a Catholic wedding ceremony.

They are taken from different parts of the scripture and cover concepts like faith, righteousness, commitment, and hope pertaining to marriage.

A Catholic wedding ceremony will typically consist of three readings and a responsorial psalm. They usually follow this order:

  • A first reading from the old testament.
  • A responsorial psalm (this is usually sung by the cantor while the assembly responds)
  • A second reading from the new testament
  • A reading from one of the four Gospels.

In this post, we’ve put together 37 catholic wedding readings for you to choose from. We’ve got you covered from the first reading to the gospel reading. 

Catholic Wedding Readings  From The Old Testament 

Good readings for a Catholic wedding

1.  A Reading From The Book Of Genesis (1:26-28, 31)

God said, ‘Let us make man in our own image, in the likeness of ourselves, and let them be masters of the fish of the sea, the birds of heaven, the cattle, all the wild beasts, and all the reptiles that crawl upon the earth.’

God created man in the image of himself,

in the image of God he created him,

male and female he created them.

God blessed them, saying to them, ‘Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth and conquer it. Be masters of the fish of the sea, the birds of heaven, and all living animals on the earth.’ God saw all he had made, and indeed it was very good.

The word of the Lord.

 2. A Reading From The Book Of Genesis (2:18-24)

The Lord God said, ‘It is not good that the man should be alone. I will make him a helpmate.’ So from the soil the Lord God fashioned all the wild beasts and all the birds of heaven.

These he brought to the man to see what he would call them; each one was to bear the name the man would give it.

The man gave names to all the cattle, all the birds of heaven and all the wild beasts. But no helpmate suitable for man was found for him.

So the Lord God made the man fall into a deep sleep. And while he slept, he took one of his ribs and enclosed it in flesh.

The Lord God built the rib he had taken from the man into a woman, and brought her to the man. The man exclaimed:

‘This at last is bone from my bones,

and flesh from my flesh!

This is to be called woman,

for this was taken from man.’

This is why a man leaves his father and mother and joins himself to his wife, and they become one body.

The word of the Lord.

3. A Reading From The Book Of Genesis (24:48-51. 58-67)

Abraham’s servant said to Laban, ‘I blessed the Lord, God of my master Abraham, who had so graciously led me to choose the daughter of my master’s brother for his son.

Now tell me whether you are prepared to show kindness and goodness to my master; if not, say so, and I shall know what to do.’

Laban and Bethuel replied, ‘This is from the Lord; it is not in our power to say yes or no to you.

Rebekah is there before you. Take her and go; and let her become the wife of your master’s son, as the Lord has decreed.’ They called Rebekah and asked her, ‘Do you want to leave with this man?’ ‘I do,’ she replied.

Accordingly, they let their sister Rebekah go, with her nurse, and Abraham’s servant and his men. They blessed Rebekah in these words:

‘Sister of ours, increase

to thousands and tens of thousands!

May your descendants gain possession

of the gates of their enemies!’

Rebekah and her servants stood up, mounted the camels, and followed the man. The servant took Rebekah and departed.

Isaac, who lived in the Negeb, had meanwhile come into the wilderness of the well of Lahai Roi.

Now Isaac went walking in the fields as evening fell, and looking up saw camels approaching. And Rebecca looked up and saw Isaac.

She jumped down from her camel, and asked the servant ‘Who is that man walking through the fields to meet us? The servant replied, ‘That is my master’; then she took her veil and hid her face.

The servant told Isaac the whole story, and Isaac led Rebecca to his tent and made her his wife; and he loved her. And so Isaac was consoled for the loss of his mother.

The word of the Lord.

 4. A Reading From The Book Of Ruth (1:16-17)

Wherever you go, I will go. Wherever you live, I will live. Your people shall be my people and your God will be my God too.

Wherever you die, I will die and there will I be buried beside you. We shall be together forever and our love will be the gift of God.

The word of the Lord.

5.  A Reading From The Song Of Songs (2:8-10,14,16; 8:6-7)

popular catholic wedding readings

I hear my Beloved.

See how he comes

leaping on the mountains,

bounding over the hills.

My Beloved is like a gazelle,

like a young stag.

See where he stands

behind our wall.

He looks in at the windows,

He peers through the lattice.

My beloved lifts up his voice,

he says to me,

‘Come hen, my love,

my lovely one, come.

My dove, hiding in the clefts of the rock.

In the covert of the cliff,

Show me your face,

let me hear your voice;

for your voice is sweet,

and your face is beautiful.’

My beloved is mine and I am his.

Set me as a seal upon your heart,

as a seal on your arm.

For love is strong as Death,

Jealousy relentless as Sheol.

The flash of it is a flash of fire,

a flame of the Lord himself.

Love no flood can quench, no torrents drown.

The word of the Lord.

6.  A Reading From The Song Of Songs (2:10-14, 16)

My beloved lifts up his voice,

he says to me,

‘Come then, my love,

my lovely one, come.

For see, winter is past,

the rains are over and gone.

The flowers appear on earth.

The season of glad songs has come,

the cooing of the turtledove is heard

in our land.

The fig tree is forming its first figs

and the blossoming vines give out their fragrance.

Come then, my love,

my lovely one, come.

My dove, hiding in the clefts of the rock.

In the covert of the cliff,

Show me your face,

let me hear your voice;

for your voice is sweet,

and your face is beautiful.’

My beloved is mine and I am his.

The word of the Lord.

7.  A Reading From The Book Of Sirach (26: 1-4)

Happy the husband of a good wife, twice-lengthened are his days; a worthy wife brings joy to her husband, peaceful and full is his life.

A good wife is a generous gift bestowed upon him who fears the LORD; be he rich or poor, his heart is content, and a smile is ever on his face. A gracious wife delights her husband,

her thoughtfulness puts flesh on his bones; a gift from the LORD is her governed speech, and her firm virtue is of surpassing worth.

Choicest of blessings is a modest wife, priceless her chaste person. Like the sun rising

in the LORD’S heavens, the beauty of a virtuous wife is the radiance of her home.

The word of the Lord.

8.  A Reading From The Book Of Tobit (8:4-8)

The parents meanwhile had gone out and shut the door behind them.

Tobias rose from the bed, and said to Sarah, ‘Get up, my sister! You and I must pray and petition our Lord to win his grace and his protection.’

She stood up, and they began praying for protection, and this was how he began: ‘You are blessed, O God of our fathers; blessed, too, is your name for ever and ever.

Let the heavens bless you and all things you have made for evermore. It was you who created Adam, you who created Eve his wife to be his help and support; and from these two the human race was born.

It was you who said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; let us make him help mate like himself”.

And so I do not take my sister for any lustful motive; I do it in singleness of heart. Be kind enough to have pity on her and on me and bring us to old age together.’ And together they said, ‘Amen, Amen’,

The word of the Lord.

9.  A Reading From The Prophet Jeremiah (31:31-34)

See, the days are coming – it is the Lord who speaks – when I will make a new covenant with the House of Israel and the House of Judah, but not like the one I made with their ancestors on the day I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt.

No, this is the covenant I will make with the House of Israel when those days arrive – it is the Lord who speaks.

Deep within them I will plant my law, writing it on their hearts. Then I will be their God and they shall be my people.

There will be no further need for neighbour to try to teach neighbour, or brother to say to brother, ‘Learn to know the Lord!’ No, they will all know me, the least no less than the greatest – it is the Lord who speaks.

The word of the Lord.

37 Catholic Wedding Readings For Your CeremonyResponsorial Psalms For Your Catholic  Wedding Ceremony

Good Bible reading for a wedding

10. Psalm 33:12 and 18, 20-21, 22

Response: “The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.”

Blessed the nation whose God is the Lord,

the people he has chosen as his heritage.

Yes, the Lord’s eyes are upon those who fear him,

who hope in his merciful love.

Response: “The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.”

Our soul is waiting for the Lord,

He is our help and our shield,

in him do our hearts find joy.

We trust in his holy name.

Response: “The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.”

May your merciful love be upon us,

as we hope in you, O Lord.

Response: “The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.”

11. Psalm 34:2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9

Response: “I will bless the Lord at all times” or  “Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.”

I will bless the Lord at all times;

praise of him is always in my mouth.

In the Lord my soul shall makes its boast;

the humble shall hear and be glad.

Response: “I will bless the Lord at all times” or  “Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.”

Glorify the Lord with me,

together let us praise his name.

I sought the Lord, and he answered me

from all my terrors he set me free.

Response:“I will bless the Lord at all times” or “Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.”

Look toward him and be radiant;

let your faces not be abashed.

This lowly one called; the Lord heard,

and rescued him from all his distress.

Response: “I will bless the Lord at all times” or “Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.”

The angel of the Lord is encamped

around those who fear him, to rescue them.

Taste and see that the Lord is good.

Blessed the man who seeks refuge in him.

Response: “I will bless the Lord at all times” or  “Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.”

12. Psalm 103:1-2, 8 and 13, 17-18a

Response: “The Lord is kind and merciful” or “The Lord’s kindness is everlasting to those who fear him.”

Bless the Lord, O my soul;

and all within me, his holy name.

Bless the Lord, O my soul,

and never forget all his benefits.

Response: “The Lord is kind and merciful” or “The Lord’s kindness is everlasting to those who fear him.”

The Lord is compassionate and gracious,

slow to anger and rich in mercy.

As a father has compassion on his children,

so the Lord’s compassion is on those who fear him.

Response: “The Lord is kind and merciful” or “The Lord’s kindness is everlasting to those who fear him.”

But the mercy of the Lord is everlasting

upon those who hold him in fear,

upon children’s children his righteousness,

for those who keep his covenant.

Response: “The Lord is kind and merciful” or “The Lord’s kindness is everlasting to those who fear him.”

13. Psalm 112:1bc-2, 3-4, 5-7a, 7b-8, 9

Response: “Blessed the man who greatly delights in the Lord’s commands” or “Alleluia.”

Blessed the man who fears the Lord,

who takes great delight in his commandments.

His descendants shall be powerful on earth;

the generation of the upright will be blest.

Response: “Blessed the man who greatly delights in the Lord’s commands” or “Alleluia.”

Riches and wealth are in his house;

his righteousness stands firm forever.

A light rises in the darkness for the upright;

he is generous, merciful, and righteous.

Response: “Blessed the man who greatly delights in the Lord’s commands” or “Alleluia.”

It goes well for the man who deals generously and lends,

who conducts his affairs with justice.

He will never be moved;

forever shall the righteous be remembered.

He has no fear of evil news.

Response: “Blessed the man who greatly delights in the Lord’s commands” or “Alleluia.”

With a firm heart, he trusts in the Lord.

With a steadfast heart he will not fear;

he will see the downfall of his foes.

Response: “Blessed the man who greatly delights in the Lord’s commands” or “Alleluia.”

Openhanded, he gives to the poor;

his righteousness stands firm forever.

His might shall be exalted in glory.

Response: “Blessed the man who greatly delights in the Lord’s commands” or “Alleluia.”

Catholic Wedding Readings From The New Testament

How many readings are in a Catholic ceremony?

14. A Reading From The Letter Of Saint Paul To The Romans (8:31-35, 37-39)

Brothers and sisters:

If God is for us, who can be against us?

He 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.

The word of the Lord.

15. A Reading From The Letter Of Saint Paul To The Romans( 12:1-2, 9-18)

I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God,

to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice,

holy and pleasing to God, your spiritual worship.

Do not conform yourselves to this age

but be transformed by the renewal of your mind,

that you may discern what is the will of God,

what is good and pleasing and perfect.

Let love be sincere;

hate what is evil,

hold on to what is good;

love one another with mutual affection;

anticipate one another in showing honor.

Do not grow slack in zeal,

be fervent in spirit,

serve the Lord.

Rejoice in hope,

endure in affliction,

persevere in prayer.

Contribute to the needs of the holy ones,

exercise hospitality.

Bless those who persecute you,

bless and do not curse them.

Rejoice with those who rejoice,

weep with those who weep.

Have the same regard for one another;

do not be haughty but associate with the lowly;

do not be wise in your own estimation.

Do not repay anyone evil for evil;

be concerned for what is noble in the sight of all.

If possible, on your part, live at peace with all.

The word of the Lord.

16. A Reading From The Letter Of Saint Paul To The Romans (Verse 15:1-3, 5-7, 13)

Brothers and sisters:

We ought to put up with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves;

let each of us please our neighbor for the good,

for building up.

For Christ did not please himself.

May the God of endurance and encouragement

grant you to think in harmony with one another,

in keeping with Christ Jesus,

that with one accord you may with one voice

glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Welcome one another, then, as Christ welcomed you,

for the glory of God.

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing,

so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

The word of the Lord.

17. A Reading From The First Letter Of Saint Paul To The Corinthians (6:13-15, 17-20)

Brothers and sisters:

The body is not for immorality, but for the Lord,

And the Lord is for the body;

God raised the Lord and will also raise us by his power.

Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ?

Whoever is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him.

Avoid immorality.

Every other sin a person commits is outside the body,

but the immoral person sins against his own body.

Do you not know that your body

is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you,

whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?

For you have been purchased at a price.

Therefore glorify God in your body.

The word of the Lord.

18. A Reading From The First Letter Of Saint Paul To The Corinthians (12:31–13:8)

Brothers and sisters:

Strive eagerly for the greatest spiritual gifts.

But I shall show you a still more excellent way.

If I speak in human and angelic tongues

but do not have love,

I am a resounding gong or a clashing cymbal.

And if I have the gift of prophecy

and comprehend all mysteries and all knowledge;

if I have all faith so as to move mountains,

but do not have love, I am nothing.

If I give away everything I own,

and if I hand my body over so that I may boast

but do not have love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient, love is kind.

It is not jealous, is not pompous,

it is not inflated, it is not rude,

it does not seek its own interests,

it is not quick-tempered, it does not brood over injury, it does not rejoice over wrongdoing

but rejoices with the truth.

It bears all things, believes all things,

hopes all things, endures all things.

Love never fails.

The word of the Lord.

19. A Reading From The Letter Of Saint Paul To The Ephesians (4:1-6)

Good Bible verse to read at weddings

Brothers and sisters:

I, a prisoner for the Lord,

urge you to live in a manner worthy of the call you have received,

with all humility and gentleness, with patience,

bearing with one another through love,

striving to preserve the unity of the Spirit

through the bond of peace: one Body and one Spirit,

as you were also called to the one hope of your call;

one Lord, one faith, one baptism;

one God and Father of all,

who is over all and through all and in all.

The word of the Lord.

20. A Reading From The Letter Of Saint Paul To The Ephesians (5:2, 21-33)

Brothers and sisters:

Live in love, as Christ loved us

and handed himself over for us.

Be subordinate to one another out of reverence for Christ.

Wives should be subordinate to their husbands as to the Lord.

For the husband is head of his wife

just as Christ is head of the Church,

he himself the savior of the body.

As the Church is subordinate to Christ,

so wives should be subordinate to their husbands in everything.

Husbands, love your wives,

even as Christ loved the Church

and handed himself over for her to sanctify her,

cleansing her by the bath of water with the word,

that he might present to himself the Church in splendor,

without spot or wrinkle or any such thing,

that she might be holy and without blemish.

So also husbands should love their wives as their own bodies.

He who loves his wife loves himself.

For no one hates his own flesh

but rather nourishes and cherishes it,

even as Christ does the Church,

because we are members of his Body.

For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother

and be joined to his wife,

and the two shall become one flesh.

This is a great mystery,

but I speak in reference to Christ and the Church.

In any case, each one of you should love his wife as himself,

and the wife should respect her husband.

The word of the Lord.

21. A Reading From The Letter Of Saint Paul To The Philippians (4:4-9)

Brothers and sisters:

Rejoice in the Lord always.

I shall say it again: rejoice!

Your kindness should be known to all.

The Lord is near.

Have no anxiety at all, but in everything,

by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving,

make your requests known to God.

Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding

will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

Finally, brothers and sisters,

whatever is true, whatever is honorable,

whatever is just, whatever is pure,

whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious,

if there is any excellence

and if there is anything worthy of praise,

think about these things.

Keep on doing what you have learned and received

and heard and seen in me.

Then the God of peace will be with you.

The word of the Lord

22. A Reading From The Letter Of Saint Paul To The Colossians (3:12-17)

Brothers and sisters:

Put on, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved,

heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience,

bearing with one another and forgiving one another,

if one has a grievance against another;

as the Lord has forgiven you, so must you also do.

And over all these put on love,

that is, the bond of perfection.

And let the peace of Christ control your hearts,

the peace into which you were also called in one Body.

And be thankful.

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly,

as in all wisdom you teach and admonish one another,

singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs

with gratitude in your hearts to God.

And whatever you do, in word or in deed,

do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus,

giving thanks to God the Father through him.

The word of the Lord.

23. A Reading From The Letter To The Hebrews (13:1-4, 5-6)

Brothers and sisters:

Let mutual love continue.

Do not neglect hospitality,

for through it some have unknowingly entertained angels.

Be mindful of prisoners as if sharing their imprisonment,

and of the ill-treated as of yourselves,

for you also are in the body.

Let marriage be honored among all

and the marriage bed be kept undefiled.

Let your life be free from love of money

but be content with what you have,

for he has said, I will never forsake you or abandon you.

Thus we may say with confidence:

The Lord is my helper,

and I will not be afraid.

The word of the Lord.

24. A Reading From The First Letter Of Saint Peter (3:1-9)

Beloved:

You wives should be subordinate to your husbands so that,

even if some disobey the word,

they may be won over without a word by their wives’ conduct

when they observe your reverent and chaste behavior.

Your adornment should not be an external one:

braiding the hair, wearing gold jewelry, or dressing in fine clothes,

but rather the hidden character of the heart,

expressed in the imperishable beauty

of a gentle and calm disposition,

which is precious in the sight of God.

For this is also how the holy women who hoped in God

once used to adorn themselves

and were subordinate to their husbands;

thus Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him “lord.”

You are her children when you do what is good

and fear no intimidation.

Likewise, you husbands should live with your wives in understanding,

showing honor to the weaker female sex,

since we are joint heirs of the gift of life,

so that your prayers may not be hindered.

Finally, all of you, be of one mind, sympathetic,

loving toward one another, compassionate, humble.

Do not return evil for evil, or insult for insult;

but, on the contrary, a blessing, because to this you were called,

that you might inherit a blessing.

The word of the Lord.

25. A Reading From The First Letter Of Saint John (3:18-24)

Children, let us love not in word or speech

but in deed and truth.

Now this is how we shall know that we belong to the truth

and reassure our hearts before him

in whatever our hearts condemn,

for God is greater than our hearts and knows everything.

Beloved, if our hearts do not condemn us,

we have confidence in God

and receive from him whatever we ask,

because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him.

And his commandment is this:

we should believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ,

and love one another just as he commanded us.

Those who keep his commandments remain in him, and he in them,

and the way we know that he remains in us

is from the Spirit that he gave us.

The word of the Lord.

26. A Reading From The First Letter Of Saint John (4:7-12)

Beloved, let us love one another,

because love is of God;

everyone who loves is begotten by God and knows God.

Whoever is without love does not know God, for God is love.

In this way the love of God was revealed to us:

God sent his only-begotten Son into the world

so that we might have life through him.

In this is love:

not that we have loved God, but that he loved us

and sent his Son as expiation for our sins.

Beloved, if God so loved us,

we also must love one another.

No one has ever seen God.

Yet, if we love one another, God remains in us,

and his love is brought to perfection in us.

The word of the Lord.

27. A Reading From The Book Of Revelation (19:1, 5-9)

I, John, heard what sounded like the loud voice

of a great multitude in heaven, saying:

“Alleluia!

Salvation, glory, and might belong to our God.”

A voice coming from the throne said:

“Praise our God, all you his servants,

and you who revere him, small and great.”

Then I heard something like the sound of a great multitude

or the sound of rushing water or mighty peals of thunder,

as they said:

“Alleluia!

The Lord has established his reign,

our God, the almighty.

Let us rejoice and be glad

and give him glory.

For the wedding day of the Lamb has come,

his bride has made herself ready.

She was allowed to wear

a bright, clean linen garment.”

(The linen represents the righteous deeds of the holy ones.)

Then the angel said to me,

“Write this:

Blessed are those who have been called

to the wedding feast of the Lamb.”

The word of the Lord.

Catholic Wedding Readings From The Gospels

Nuptial mass readings

28. A Reading From The Holy Gospel According To Matthew (5:1-12)

Seeing the crowds, Jesus went up to the hill. There he sat down, and was joined by the disciples. Then he began to speak. This is what he taught them:

How happy are the poor in spirit;

Theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Happy the gentle:

They shall have the earth for their heritage.

Happy those who mourn:

They shall be comforted.

Happy those who hunger and thirst for what is right:

They shall be satisfied.

Happy the merciful:

They shall have mercy shown them.

Happy the pure in heart:

They shall seek God.

Happy the peacemakers:

They shall be called sons of God.

Happy those who are persecuted in the cause of right:

Theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Happy are you when people abuse you and persecute you and speak all kinds of calumny against you on my account.

Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven.

The Gospel of the Lord.

29.  A Reading From The Holy Gospel According To Matthew (5:13-16)

Jesus said to his disciples:

‘You are the salt of the earth. But if salt becomes tasteless, what can make it salty again? It is good for nothing, and can only be thrown out to be trampled under foot by men.

You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill-top cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp to put it under a tub; they put it on the lampstand where it shines for everyone in the house.

In the same way your light must shine in the sight of men, so that, seeing your good works, they may give the praise to your Father in heaven.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

30.  A Reading From The Holy Gospel According To Matthew (7:21,24-29)

Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Not everyone who says to me, “Lord, Lord,” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.

‘Everyone then who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock.

The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on rock.

And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on sand.

The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell – and great was its fall!’

Now when Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as their scribes.

The Gospel of the Lord.

31.  A Reading From The Holy Gospel According To Matthew (19:3-6)

Some Pharisees approached Jesus, and to test him they said “Is it against the Law for a man to divorce his wife on any pretext whatever?”

Jesus answered: “Have you not read that the creator from the beginning made them male and female and that he said: This is why a man must leave his father and mother, and cling to his wife, and he two become one body.

So then, what God has united, man must not divide.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

32.  A Reading From The Holy Gospel According To Matthew (22:35-40)

A lawyer, to disconcert Jesus, put a question, “Master, which is the greatest commandment of the Law?”

Jesus said, “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment.

The second resembles it: You must love your neighbour as yourself. On these two commandments hang the whole law, and the prophets also.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

33.  A Reading From The Holy Gospel According To Mark (10: 6-9)

Progressive catholic wedding readings

Jesus said: “From the beginning of creation, God made them male and female.

For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.

So they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, no human being must separate.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

34.   A Reading From The Holy Gospel According To John (2:1-11)

There was a wedding at Cana in Galilee.

The mother of Jesus was there, and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited. When they ran out of wine, since the wine provided for the wedding was all finished, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.”

Jesus said, “Woman, why turn to me? My hour has not yet come.” His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”

There were six stone jars standing there, meant for the ablutions that are customary among the Jews: each could hold twenty or thirty gallons.

Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water”, and they filled them to the brim. “Draw some out now,” he told them, “and take it to the steward.”

They did this; the steward tasted the water, and it turned into wine.

Having no idea where it came from – only the stewards who had drawn the water knew – the steward called the bridegroom and said: “People generally serve the best wine first, and keep the cheaper sort till the guests have had plenty to drink; but you have kept the best wine till now.”

This was the first of the signs given by Jesus: it was given at Cana in Galilee. He let his glory be seen, and his disciples believed in him.

The Gospel of the Lord.

35.  A Reading From The Holy Gospel According To John (15:9-12)

Jesus said to his disciples;

‘As the Father has loved me,

so I have loved you.

Remain in my love.

If you keep my commandments

You will remain in my love,

Just as I have kept my Father’s commandments

And remain in his love.

I have told you this

So that my own joy may be in you

And your joy be complete

This is my commandment:

Love one another,

As I have loved you’.

The Gospel of the Lord.

36.  A Reading From The Holy Gospel According To John (15:12-16).

Best catholic readings for a religious wedding ceremony

Jesus said to his disciples,

‘This my commandment:

love one another,

as I have loved you.

No one can have greater love

than to lay down his life for his friends.

You are my friends

if you do what I command you.

I shall no longer call you servants,

because a servant does not know

his master’s business;

I call you friends,

because I have made known to you

everything I have learnt from my Father.

You did not choose me,

no, I chose you;

and I commissioned you

to go out and to bear fruit, fruit that will last;

so that the Father will give you

anything you ask him in my name.’

The Gospel of the Lord.

37. A Reading From The Holy Gospel According To John (17:20-23)

Jesus raised his eyes to heaven and said: ‘I pray not only for these, but for those also who through their words will believe in me.

May they all be one. Father, may they be one in us, as you are in me and I am in you, so that the world may believe it was you who sent me.

I have given them the glory you gave to me, that they may be one as we are one.

With me in them and you in me, may they be so completely one that the world will realise that it was you who sent me and that I have loved them as much as you loved me.’

The Gospel of the Lord.

Final Thoughts

There you have it, 37 beautiful catholic wedding readings to choose from. You’ll need to pick one reading from each section (first, second gospel, and responsorial).  

In choosing the readings for your wedding, it’s important that you settle on one that speaks to your relationship and reflects your hopes and aspirations for your marriage.

It’s also important that you plan your reading with the priest officiating your wedding. 

Have a beautiful ceremony!