The Bible tells the story of Christmas in the Gospel accounts of Matthew and Luke. In Luke 2:10-11, an angel announces to shepherds, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord." Christmas is the celebration of this birth—God entering human history as a child in Bethlehem.
During the holiday season, it's easy to lose sight of why we celebrate. The shopping lists, decorating, and endless activity can pull our focus away from the miracle of the incarnation. These Christmas Bible verses bring us back to what matters—Jesus Christ, Emmanuel, God with us.
The verses below include prophecies from the Old Testament that foretold the Messiah's coming, the nativity story from Matthew and Luke, and passages that explain the meaning of Christ's birth for believers. Whether you're looking for verses to share in Christmas cards, read during family devotions, or meditate on personally, these Scriptures will help you celebrate the true meaning of Christmas.
Old Testament Prophecies About the Messiah's Birth
The prophets spoke of the Messiah centuries before His birth. These prophecies prove God's faithfulness and show that Christmas was part of His plan from the beginning.
Isaiah 9:6
"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."
Isaiah wrote this 700 years before Jesus was born. The prophet identifies the coming child as God Himself—"Mighty God" and "Everlasting Father" are not titles for an ordinary king. The Messiah would be both fully human ("a child is born") and fully divine ("Mighty God"). Christians see this fulfilled in Jesus, who was born in Bethlehem and revealed as God in human flesh. The government resting on His shoulders points to His eternal kingdom, not a temporary political reign. This verse captures the dual nature of Christmas—celebrating a baby while worshiping the Almighty.
Isaiah 7:14
"Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel."
The name Immanuel means "God with us," which is the essence of the incarnation. God didn't remain distant or send a representative. He came Himself, taking on human flesh through a miraculous conception. Matthew directly quotes this verse in his Gospel, showing that Jesus' birth fulfilled ancient prophecy. When skeptics question the virgin birth, they miss the point—it was meant to be miraculous, a sign that God was doing something unprecedented in human history.
Micah 5:2
"But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times."
Bethlehem was insignificant in Micah's day—a small village overshadowed by Jerusalem. Yet God chose this humble location for the Messiah's birth. The contrast is deliberate. The King of Kings didn't arrive in a palace but in a stable in an overlooked town. This verse also affirms Jesus' pre-existence—His "origins are from of old, from ancient times." He didn't begin in Bethlehem. The eternal Son of God simply entered time and space there. Hundreds of years after Micah wrote this, Mary and Joseph traveled to Bethlehem for a census, fulfilling prophecy without even knowing it.
Isaiah 11:1
"A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit."
Jesse was King David's father, and this prophecy points to the Messiah coming from David's lineage. The imagery of a stump suggests that David's royal line would be cut down, reduced to nothing before the Messiah appeared. By the time Jesus was born, David's descendants had no throne, no power, no kingdom. Yet from this seemingly dead family tree, God brought forth the Branch—Jesus. Both Matthew and Luke trace Jesus' genealogy back to David, confirming this prophecy. The Branch bearing fruit represents the kingdom Jesus established, which grows and spreads throughout history through His followers.
Zechariah 9:9
"Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey."
Isaiah 40:3
"A voice of one calling: 'In the wilderness prepare the way for the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.'"
The Annunciation: Angels Announce Jesus' Coming
God sent angels to announce the most important birth in human history. These announcements show that Jesus' coming was not accidental but divinely orchestrated.
Luke 1:26-33
"In the sixth month of Elizabeth's pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin's name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, 'Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.' Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, 'Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob's descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.'"
Gabriel's announcement to Mary contains the entire gospel in condensed form. Jesus would be both human (descendant of David) and divine (Son of the Most High). His kingdom would be eternal, not temporary like earthly governments. Mary's response—troubled yet trusting—models faith. She didn't understand how God would accomplish this, but she believed He would. The greeting "highly favored" doesn't mean Mary was sinless or divine herself. It means God chose her for a unique purpose. Christmas begins with a young woman saying yes to God's plan despite the personal cost and social stigma she would face.
Luke 1:35
"The angel answered, 'The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.'"
This verse explains the virgin birth. Jesus had no human father—He was conceived by the Holy Spirit. This was necessary for the incarnation. If Jesus had been conceived naturally, He would have inherited Adam's sinful nature like every other human. But because the Holy Spirit overshadowed Mary, Jesus was born without sin—"the holy one." This doesn't diminish His full humanity. Jesus experienced everything humans experience (hunger, temptation, suffering, death) except sin. The virgin birth protected His sinlessness while allowing Him to fully enter human experience.
Luke 1:46-49
"And Mary said: 'My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me—holy is his name.'"
Mary's song (the Magnificat) is one of the most beautiful responses to God's calling in Scripture. She understood that God was doing something unprecedented through her. The phrase "mindful of the humble state of his servant" shows Mary's self-awareness—she saw herself as unimportant in the world's eyes. Yet God chose her. This pattern runs throughout the Christmas story. God consistently chooses the humble, the overlooked, and the powerless to accomplish His greatest work. Mary's joy came not from personal glory but from participating in God's redemptive plan.
Matthew 1:18-21
"This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, 'Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.'"
Joseph's dilemma was real and painful. Discovering Mary was pregnant must have devastated him. The law permitted public accusation and severe consequences for adultery, but Joseph's character shows in his decision to divorce quietly. He was righteous but also merciful. God intervened with direct revelation because Joseph's obedience was crucial to the Christmas story. The angel's command to name the child Jesus (meaning "the Lord saves") explained the child's purpose—salvation from sin. Joseph obeyed despite the social cost. His quiet faithfulness made him a model of obedience.
The Birth of Jesus in Bethlehem
After centuries of prophecy and preparation, the moment arrived. God entered the world as a vulnerable infant.
Luke 2:1-7
"In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to their own town to register. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them."
Matthew 1:23
"'The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel' (which means 'God with us')."
Matthew 1:25
"But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus."
Luke 2:11
"Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord."
The angel's announcement to the shepherds contains three crucial titles. "Savior" identifies Jesus' mission—He came to rescue people from sin and death. "Messiah" (or Christ) confirms He is the long-awaited Anointed One promised throughout the Old Testament. "Lord" affirms His divinity—this is no ordinary child but God Himself. These titles, given at Jesus' birth, define His identity. He didn't become these things later through achievement or growth. He was born Savior, Messiah, and Lord. The angel said the Savior was born "for you"—the message is personal, not abstract.
The Shepherds and the Angels
God announced the Messiah's birth not to kings or priests but to working-class shepherds watching their flocks at night.
Luke 2:8-14
"And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.' Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.'"
Shepherds were not high-status individuals. They were considered ritually unclean by religious authorities because their work prevented them from observing all ceremonial laws. Yet God chose them as the first witnesses to the Messiah's birth. This choice reveals the nature of God's kingdom—it's for ordinary people, not just the religiously elite. The angels' message contained the gospel: a Savior has been born, He is the Messiah, He is the Lord, and He came for you. The heavenly host's praise—"Glory to God in the highest"—shows that Jesus' birth brings glory to God and peace to humanity. This peace isn't merely the absence of conflict but reconciliation between God and people.
Luke 2:15-20
"When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, 'Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.' So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told."
The shepherds' response was immediate obedience. They didn't doubt or delay—they went to see. When they found Jesus exactly as the angel described, they became the first evangelists, spreading the news about what they'd witnessed. Their testimony amazed people, though many probably didn't fully understand what it meant. Mary's response contrasts with the shepherds' excitement—she "treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart." She was processing the mystery of giving birth to God's Son. Both responses are appropriate: joyful proclamation and quiet reflection. The shepherds returned to their regular work, but they were changed. They went back glorifying and praising God. Encountering Jesus transforms ordinary life into an act of worship.
The Wise Men Visit Jesus
Months after Jesus' birth, wise men from the East followed a star to worship the newborn King.
Matthew 2:1-2
"After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, 'Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.'"
Matthew 2:9-11
"After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh."
The star supernaturally guided the Magi to the exact location where Jesus lived. By this time, Jesus was likely a toddler, not a newborn (Matthew says "child," not "baby"). The wise men's response—bowing down and worshiping—shows they recognized Jesus' divine nature. Their gifts were significant: gold for a king, frankincense for deity (used in temple worship), and myrrh for burial (foreshadowing Jesus' death). These expensive gifts probably financed Joseph and Mary's flight to Egypt when Herod sought to kill Jesus. The wise men's worship models the proper response to Jesus—not casual acknowledgment but reverent adoration and costly sacrifice.
Why Jesus Came: The Meaning of Christmas
The birth of Jesus wasn't the end goal—it was the beginning of God's rescue mission for humanity.
John 3:16
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."
This verse explains the why behind Christmas. God's love motivated the incarnation. The world was lost, separated from God by sin, heading toward death. God didn't send judgment—He sent His Son. The phrase "gave his one and only Son" points to both Christmas (giving Him in birth) and Easter (giving Him up to death). Belief in Jesus—trusting Him as Savior and Lord—is the only requirement for eternal life. This isn't religious achievement or moral perfection. It's faith in what Jesus accomplished. Christmas is the beginning of salvation's story, which culminates at the cross and empty tomb.
John 1:14
"The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth."
Galatians 4:4-5
"But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship."
1 Timothy 1:15
"Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst."
Paul states Jesus' mission plainly: He came to save sinners. Not to inspire people, not to set a good example, not to teach better ethics—to save. This requires acknowledgment that we need saving, that sin is real and deadly. Paul's humility—calling himself the worst of sinners—models the proper posture before God. We don't come to Jesus because we're good enough. We come because we're not. Christmas is God's response to human sin. He didn't wait for us to improve. He came to rescue us while we were still lost.
Titus 3:4-7
"But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life."
Romans 6:23
"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."
This verse presents the problem and the solution. Sin earns death—spiritual separation from God and eventual physical death. That's the wage, what we deserve. But God offers a gift—eternal life through Christ. Gifts aren't earned or deserved. They're freely given. Christmas celebrates the ultimate gift: Jesus Himself. You don't work for eternal life or achieve it through religious performance. You receive it by faith in Christ. The contrast between wages and gift is intentional. We earn death through sin, but we receive life through grace.
1 John 4:9
"This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him."
God could have demonstrated His love many ways—through blessings, miracles, or supernatural displays. He chose the incarnation. Sending His Son into the world—into poverty, rejection, suffering, and death—is the supreme proof of God's love. The purpose was life: "that we might live through him." Apart from Christ, humanity is spiritually dead. Jesus came to give life—abundant life now and eternal life forever. Christmas isn't just a sentimental holiday about a baby. It's the beginning of God's love story, which reaches its climax at the cross where Jesus died for our sins.
Christmas Verses for Cards and Sharing
These verses capture the joy, hope, and meaning of Christmas in concise, memorable ways perfect for sharing with others.
Romans 15:13
"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."
This verse is Paul's blessing, perfect for Christmas because it emphasizes the themes of the season: hope, joy, and peace. Christmas brings hope because Jesus came to rescue humanity from sin and death. The joy and peace aren't based on circumstances but on trusting God. The Holy Spirit's power makes this overflow happen—it's not something we generate ourselves. When you share this verse, you're blessing someone with the prayer that they would experience the reality of God's presence and power in their lives.
2 Corinthians 9:15
"Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!"
Luke 2:14
"'Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.'"
The angels' song is one of the most famous Christmas verses. It's been set to music, quoted in liturgies, and printed on countless Christmas cards. The verse contains two parallel statements: glory to God (vertical dimension) and peace to people (horizontal dimension). Jesus' birth brings glory to God because it reveals His love, faithfulness, and power. It brings peace to people because it reconciles sinful humanity to a holy God. This peace isn't universal—it comes to "those on whom his favor rests," those who receive Jesus by faith.
James 1:17
"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows."
Christmas is a season of giving, and this verse reminds us that all good gifts ultimately come from God. He is the Father of lights (Creator of the sun, moon, and stars) who remains constant. Human gifts are temporary and imperfect. God's gifts are good, perfect, and eternal. The greatest gift—Jesus—came down from above. When we give gifts to others at Christmas, we're reflecting God's generous nature. This verse encourages gratitude for all of God's gifts, especially the gift of His Son.
Psalm 107:1
"Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever."
Thanksgiving and Christmas are closely connected in Scripture. We give thanks because God is good and His love is enduring—it never runs out, never fails, never changes. Christmas proves God's goodness and love. He didn't abandon humanity to sin and death. He sent His Son to rescue us. The phrase "endures forever" means God's love isn't temporary or conditional. It's permanent and unconditional. This psalm verse, though not specifically about Christmas, perfectly expresses the proper response to God's gift of Jesus: heartfelt thanksgiving.
2 Corinthians 8:9
"For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich."
This verse describes the great exchange that happened at Christmas. Jesus, who possessed all the riches of heaven, voluntarily became poor. He left glory, took on human flesh, was born in a stable, and eventually died on a cross. He became poor in every sense—materially, socially, and spiritually (bearing our sin). The purpose was to make us rich—not with money, but with spiritual blessings. Through Jesus' poverty (His humble incarnation and sacrificial death), we gain forgiveness, adoption as God's children, eternal life, and an inheritance in God's kingdom. Christmas is about Jesus' downward journey so we could take an upward journey.
Conclusion
The Christmas story is not just about a baby born in a stable. It's about God fulfilling ancient promises, about divine love breaking into human darkness, about salvation offered to all people. When you read about the shepherds running to find the newborn King, or the wise men traveling from distant lands to worship, you're reading about the same Jesus who changes lives today.
This Christmas, make time to read these verses with your family. Share them with friends. Let them remind you that the God who sent His Son into the world loves you deeply. Christmas is the celebration of hope, peace, and redemption—all because Jesus came.
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