Genesis 1:26–31
And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.
And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.
And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so.
And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good.
Where it fits in the ceremony
Scripture readings usually come early in the ceremony, after the officiant’s opening words and before the vows. Churches differ on translation, and a Catholic wedding Mass draws its readings from an approved list, so check with your officiant before you print this one in the program.
Pair it with
Two readings that balance this one, one sacred and one secular:
- A Marriage Prayer and Blessing (Book of Common Prayer) — A prayer for faithful love and the service’s closing blessing, from the 1662 Prayer Book.
- 1 John 4:7–12 — “Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God.”