The Christmas story is told in Luke 2 and Matthew 1-2: Jesus was born in Bethlehem and laid in a manger (Luke 2:7), and angels announced "good tidings of great joy... a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord" (Luke 2:10-11). The prophets foretold it: "unto us a child is born" (Isaiah 9:6), a virgin's son called Immanuel (Isaiah 7:14), born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2). Its meaning: "the Word was made flesh" (John 1:14) because "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners" (1 Timothy 1:15).
Whether you are writing Christmas cards, planning an Advent reading, or reading the Nativity with your family on Christmas Eve, these twelve King James passages tell the story in order: the prophecies, the birth in Bethlehem, the angels and wise men, and why Jesus came. For the Bible's view of a new baby in general, see our birth page; for the other great Christian feast, see Easter.
Promised and announced
1. Isaiah 9:6
"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace."
Written roughly seven centuries before Bethlehem, this prophecy names the coming child: Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Many know it from Handel's Messiah.
2. Isaiah 7:14
"Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel."
The sign of a virgin bearing a son named Immanuel. Matthew 1:23 quotes it and explains that Immanuel means "God with us."
3. Micah 5:2
"But thou, Beth-lehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting."
Micah named little Bethlehem Ephratah as the birthplace of Israel's ruler, and the scribes quoted it to Herod (Matthew 2:5-6). This ruler's goings forth are "from of old, from everlasting."
4. Matthew 1:21
"And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins."
An angel told Joseph in a dream to name the child JESUS, a name meaning "the LORD saves," because He would save His people from their sins. The name is the mission.
The Nativity in Bethlehem
5. Luke 2:7
"And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn."
The Son of God was wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a manger, an animal's feeding trough, because there was no room in the inn. God came in humility.
6. Luke 2:10-11
"And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord."
The angel's announcement to shepherds in the night fields: fear not, good tidings of great joy for all people—a Saviour, Christ the Lord, born in the city of David.
7. Luke 2:13-14
"And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men."
A multitude of the heavenly host praised God: "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men." One of the most-used Christmas card verses.
8. Matthew 2:10-11
"When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh."
The wise men rejoiced with exceeding great joy, worshipped the child, and offered gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Matthew says they found the "young child" in a "house," so they likely arrived some time after the birth.
9. Luke 2:19
"But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart."
Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. An invitation to slow down at Christmas and reflect on what God has done.
Why Jesus came
10. John 1:14
"And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth."
John's Christmas story has no manger, only this: "the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us." The eternal Son took on human nature; "dwelt" literally means pitched His tent.
11. Galatians 4:4-5
"But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons."
"When the fulness of the time was come"—at God's exact moment—He sent His Son, made of a woman, to redeem us and make us His children.
12. 1 Timothy 1:15
"This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief."
The reason for the season in one sentence: "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners."
A short prayer
Father, thank You for sending Your Son at just the right time. Like the shepherds, let me hear the good tidings with joy; like the wise men, let me worship and give my best; like Mary, let me treasure these things in my heart. Jesus, Immanuel, Prince of Peace, be welcomed anew in my life this Christmas. 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.
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Frequently asked questions
What Bible verses tell the Christmas story?
Luke 2:1-20 (the birth, the shepherds, and the angels) and Matthew 1:18-2:12 (Joseph's dream and the wise men) tell the Nativity. Isaiah 7:14, Isaiah 9:6, and Micah 5:2 are the key prophecies.
What is a good Bible verse for a Christmas card?
Luke 2:14 ("Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men"), Luke 2:10-11, Isaiah 9:6, John 1:14, and Matthew 1:23 ("God with us") are favorites.
Where is Jesus' birth prophesied in the Old Testament?
Isaiah 7:14 (a virgin's son called Immanuel), Isaiah 9:6 ("unto us a child is born"), and Micah 5:2 (born in Bethlehem).
Does the Bible say Jesus was born on December 25?
No date is given in Scripture. Christians in Rome were celebrating Christ's birth on December 25 by the 300s AD, and most churches keep that date today. The heart of Christmas is the event, not the calendar.
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 birth · Bible verses about Easter · Bible verses about salvation · Bible verses about joy · Bible verses about peace
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