The shepherds show how to keep the day. They said, "Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass" (Luke 2:15), and afterward they "returned, glorifying and praising God" (Luke 2:20). Paul sums up Christmas in one line: "Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift" (2 Corinthians 9:15).
Christmas Day has its own rhythm: stockings, a big breakfast, family on the couch, maybe a church service, and a lot of wrapping paper. These twelve King James verses are for the day itself. They give you a simple read-aloud from Luke 2 for Christmas morning, verses for joy and worship around the tree, and verses about the gift behind all the gifts. For the full nativity collection to write in cards, see our Bible verses about Christmas; for the weeks of waiting before December 25, see Advent.
The Christmas story to read aloud on Christmas morning
1. Luke 2:8-9
"And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid."
The first people to hear the news were working the night shift. Ordinary shepherds keeping watch were met by the angel of the Lord, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them. If you read Luke 2:8-20 aloud on Christmas morning, start here and let the youngest reader take the angel's lines.
2. Luke 2:12
"And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger."
The sign was not a palace but a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger, an animal's feeding trough. God's greatest gift arrived in the humblest wrapping, which is worth remembering among the bows and paper on Christmas morning.
3. Luke 2:15-16
"And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger."
As soon as the angels left, the shepherds said, Let us now go, and they came with haste. Their response is a good pattern for Christmas Day: hear what God has done, go and see for yourself, and find Jesus at the center of it all.
4. Luke 2:20
"And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them."
The shepherds went back to the same fields and the same sheep, but they returned glorifying and praising God. Christmas does not change every circumstance, yet it changes how we walk back into them on December 26.
Joy and worship on Christmas Day
5. Psalms 98:4
"Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all the earth: make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise."
Isaac Watts based his carol Joy to the World (1719) on Psalm 98. Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all the earth: singing carols together on Christmas morning is an old and fitting way to obey this psalm.
6. Luke 1:46-47
"And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour."
Mary's song, often called the Magnificat, begins with My soul doth magnify the Lord. Months before the birth she was already rejoicing in God my Saviour. It makes a good prayer for Christmas Day: to make God look big in all our celebrating.
7. Isaiah 9:7
"Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this."
The famous Christmas prophecy of Isaiah 9:6 keeps going: of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end. The child in the manger is a King whose peace keeps growing, and the zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.
8. 1 Timothy 3:16
"And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory."
Paul calls it the great mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh. Christmas Day celebrates the incarnation, the eternal Son of God taking on real human nature, seen of angels, and later received up into glory.
The gift of Christmas, and our giving
9. 2 Corinthians 9:15
"Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift."
Paul's short burst of praise, Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift, fits Christmas perfectly. Unspeakable means too great for words. Every present under the tree is a small echo of the gift God gave first.
10. 1 John 4:9
"In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him."
In this was manifested the love of God: He sent His only begotten Son into the world that we might live through Him. The reason for Christmas is God's love, shown not in words alone but in a Person.
11. Titus 2:11
"For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,"
The grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men. Christmas is the day grace appeared in person, for shepherds and wise men, insiders and outsiders alike. Many churches read Titus 2:11-14 at Christmas.
12. 2 Corinthians 8:9
"For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich."
Though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor. The manger shows how far Jesus came down so that we might be rich in Him. It is also why Christians give generously at Christmas, as our page on giving explores.
A short prayer
Lord Jesus, thank You for coming to us. On this Christmas Day, help me slow down like the shepherds, go and see, and come back praising. Fill our home with joy and worship, keep my heart grateful for Your unspeakable gift, and let Your peace rest on everyone at our table. Amen.
Go deeper: a SOAP study prompt
Pick one verse above and write: - Scripture: copy the verse by hand. - Observation: what does it say? Who is speaking, to whom? - Application: what does it mean for you today? - Prayer: turn it into a two-line prayer.
New to this method? See our Bible study guide or pick a Bible reading plan.
Get our free 12 Days of Christmas Scripture Cards · Download our free SOAP study page · Give the ByScripture Starter Bundle
Frequently asked questions
What Bible verses are read on Christmas Day?
The traditional Christmas Day reading is Luke 2:1-20, the birth of Jesus and the visit of the shepherds. Many churches also read John 1:1-14, Isaiah 9:2-7 and Titus 2:11-14. For a single short verse, Luke 2:11 or 2 Corinthians 9:15 works well in a card or a toast.
How can I read the Christmas story with my family on Christmas morning?
Read Luke 2:8-20 aloud before opening presents, taking turns a few verses at a time. Pause after verse 15 and ask what the shepherds did when they heard the news. Close with Luke 2:20 and a carol such as Joy to the World, which comes from Psalm 98.
Is December 25 in the Bible?
No. The Bible does not give the date of Jesus' birth; Christians in Rome were keeping December 25 by the fourth century. What Scripture gives is the event itself and the right response: the shepherds came back "glorifying and praising God" (Luke 2:20).
What if Christmas Day is hard for me this year?
Many people come to Christmas with an empty chair or a heavy heart. The first Christmas also came to people walking in darkness (Isaiah 9:2). Be honest with God, keep the day simple, let someone know how you are doing, and see our pages on grief and loneliness.
Sources: All Scripture quotations are from the King James Version (KJV), public domain in the United States. References were checked against the KJV text from bible-api.com.
Related: Bible verses about Christmas · Bible verses about Advent · Bible verses about stars · Bible verses about birth · Bible verses about giving · Bible verses about joy
Explore more: All Bible verses by topic · KJV Bible verses · Verse of the day · Prayers · Bible study · Bible reading plans
