Christmas Bible verses in story order: KJV references, context and verses for cards

The best-known Christmas Bible verses are Isaiah 9:6 ("unto us a child is born"), Luke 2:10-11 ("good tidings of great joy"), Luke 2:14 ("Glory to God in the highest"), Matthew 1:23 ("God with us") and John 1:14 ("the Word was made flesh"). They come from Old Testament prophecy, the birth accounts in Matthew 1–2 and Luke 1–2, and John 1.

Most lists of Christmas verses give you dozens of quotes in random order, with no hint of who is speaking or why. That makes it hard to pick one for a card, and harder to remember it.

This guide puts them back in story order, scene by scene, each with its exact King James reference and one line of context. Then you'll find short verses for Christmas cards (checked word for word), one verse a day for December 2026, and a simple way to memorize three of them.

Christmas Bible verses at a glance

Here is the whole story in eleven scenes, with one key verse each. The sections below add more verses and context.

For the full passages side by side, our guide to where the Christmas story is in the Bible compares Matthew and Luke scene by scene.

Picking a verse is the easy part. Keeping it past January is harder, and that's what the app's memory verses are for: save the ones you choose here and review them a few minutes a day.

Prophecy: Old Testament verses that point to Christmas

The Christmas story begins centuries before Bethlehem. Matthew points back to the Old Testament five times in his first two chapters.

• Genesis 3:15. Right after the first sin, God promises that the woman's "seed" will bruise the serpent's head. Many Christians call it the first announcement of the gospel.
• Numbers 24:17. Balaam sees that "there shall come a Star out of Jacob". Readers have long connected it with the star of Matthew 2.
• Isaiah 7:14. "Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel." Quoted in Matthew 1:23.
• Isaiah 9:6. The best-known Christmas prophecy, with its names for the coming king (below).
• Isaiah 11:1. "There shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse." Jesse was David's father, so the king will come from David's family.
• Micah 5:2. Bethlehem, "little among the thousands of Judah", will produce a ruler "whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting". The scribes quote it to Herod in Matthew 2:6.
• Isaiah 40:3. "Prepare ye the way of the Lord." All four Gospels apply it to John the Baptist (Matthew 3:3, Mark 1:3, Luke 3:4, John 1:23).

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.

On Isaiah 7:14, the Hebrew word (almah) means a young woman of marriageable age, and the Greek translation Matthew quotes has "virgin" (parthenos). Christians agree Matthew sees it fulfilled in the virgin birth; they differ on whether Isaiah also meant a sign in his own day. For background, see the book summaries of Isaiah and Micah.

The annunciation: Gabriel's announcements

"Annunciation" simply means announcement. Luke records two, both made by the angel Gabriel, six months apart.

• Luke 1:13. To the old priest Zacharias in the temple: "Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard". His wife Elisabeth will bear a son named John. See the angel announces John's birth to Zechariah.
• Luke 1:31. "Thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS."
• Luke 1:35. Mary asks how this can be, and Gabriel answers that "the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee".
• Luke 1:37. "For with God nothing shall be impossible." Said about Elisabeth, pregnant in old age, as a sign for Mary.
• Luke 1:38. Mary's answer: "Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word."

The scene is told as its own story in the angel announces Jesus' birth to Mary, and the Mary, mother of Jesus page follows her life from Nazareth to the upper room in Acts 1:14.

Mary's song and Zacharias's prophecy

Luke 1 contains two songs, often known by their first word in Latin: the Magnificat (Mary, Luke 1:46-55) and the Benedictus (Zacharias, Luke 1:68-79).

• Luke 1:42. Elisabeth greets Mary: "Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb."
• Luke 1:46-49. The opening of the Magnificat (below).
• Luke 1:52. "He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree."
• Luke 1:68. Zacharias, speaking after months of silence: "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people".
• Luke 1:78-79. "The dayspring from on high hath visited us", to give light to those who sit in darkness. "Dayspring" is an old word for sunrise.

And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name.

Mary's song echoes Hannah's prayer in 1 Samuel 2:1-10. The visit is in Mary visits Elizabeth and the birth of John, and you can meet the older couple on the Zechariah and Elizabeth page.

Joseph's dream: Christmas verses in Matthew 1

Matthew tells the story from Joseph's side, and every move Joseph makes in chapters 1 and 2 follows a dream.

• Matthew 1:18-19. Mary is found "with child of the Holy Ghost", and Joseph, "being a just man", plans to end the engagement quietly.
• Matthew 1:20. An angel in a dream: "Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife".
• Matthew 1:21. "Thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins." The name is the Greek form of Joshua, which means "the Lord saves".
• Matthew 1:23. Matthew quotes Isaiah 7:14 and translates the name: "Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us."

Joseph never speaks a recorded word in the Gospels. You can follow his choices on the Joseph of Nazareth page.

The birth of Jesus: Luke 2:1-7

The birth itself takes Luke seven verses, and the moment takes one. These are the core nativity Bible verses.

• Luke 2:1. "There went out a decree from Cesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed", that is, registered in a census.
• Luke 2:4. Joseph goes from Nazareth "unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem", because he was of David's line.
• Luke 2:5. He travels with "Mary his espoused wife, being great with child".
• Luke 2:7. "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."

Luke 2:7 mentions no stable, no ox and donkey, and no innkeeper. A manger is a feeding trough, so animals were near, but the rest of the nativity set is tradition. Our Christmas Bible trivia has a myth-or-text round on details like these, and the scene is explained in the birth of Jesus.

The shepherds

Shepherds working the night shift are the first people in Luke to hear the news, and the first to spread it (Luke 2:17).

• Luke 2:8. "There were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night."
• Luke 2:16. "They came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger."
• Luke 2:19. "But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart." One of the quietest Christmas verses.

The angels' song

Angels speak at every turn of the story: to Zacharias, to Mary, to Joseph (in dreams in Matthew 1:20, 2:13 and 2:19) and to the shepherds. Only one is named, Gabriel (Luke 1:19, 26). The announcement to the shepherds is the passage many people think of first when they hear "Christmas scripture".

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. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. 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.

Notice that the good news is "to all people" (Luke 2:10), and that the heavenly host was "praising God, and saying" (Luke 2:13). Carols have them singing, which is a fair picture of praise, but Luke's word is "saying".

Luke 2:14 also reads differently in many modern versions ("peace among those with whom he is pleased" or similar), because they follow Greek manuscripts that differ from the KJV's by a single letter.

Here are three questions from the app's Luke quiz, if you want to test yourself on this chapter.

Quick quiz: Luke

To whom does Luke dedicate his Gospel?

TimothyTheophilusTitusPhilemon

To whom does an angel announce the Savior’s birth on the very night Jesus is born in Bethlehem?

To magi from the EastTo King Herod in his palaceTo shepherds in the fieldsTo the priests of the temple

Which tree does Zacchaeus climb to see Jesus?

A sycamoreA fig treeAn olive treeA palm tree

Continue the quiz

There are many more questions like these in Bible Academy, each with its explanation and verse. Start free, no card needed.

Simeon and Anna

Forty days after the birth, Mary and Joseph bring Jesus to the temple (Luke 2:22; see Leviticus 12:2-4). Two devout people meet them there, and both recognize him.

• Luke 2:25. Simeon is "just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel".
• Luke 2:29. "Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word". His prayer (Luke 2:29-32) is called the Nunc Dimittis, from its first words in Latin.
• Luke 2:30. "For mine eyes have seen thy salvation". He is holding a baby and calls him salvation.
• Luke 2:35. To Mary: "a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also". Often read as the first hint of the cross.
• Luke 2:37-38. Anna, "a widow of about fourscore and four years", speaks of him "to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem".

Their story is in Simeon and Anna recognize the child.

The wise men

Matthew's visitors come from the east, follow a star and bring three gifts. The text gives no number of men, no names and no crowns.

• Matthew 2:1. "There came wise men from the east to Jerusalem", in "the days of Herod the king".
• Matthew 2:2. "Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him."
• Matthew 2:10. "When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy."
• Matthew 2:11. They come "into the house", see "the young child with Mary his mother", worship him and give "gold, and frankincense, and myrrh".
• Matthew 2:12. Warned in a dream, "they departed into their own country another way".

Because Matthew says "the house" and "the young child", and Herod targets boys "from two years old and under" (Matthew 2:16), many readers place the visit months after the birth. Many Western churches remember it on Epiphany, January 6. Read more in the visit of the wise men.

Each of these scenes has its own explained story in the app, with a short quiz at the end.

John 1: "the Word was made flesh"

John's Gospel has no manger and no shepherds. It starts before creation and says who the baby in Bethlehem really is.

• John 1:1. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
• John 1:5. "And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not."
• John 1:11. "He came unto his own, and his own received him not."
• John 1:14. The Christmas verse of John's Gospel (below).

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.

"Dwelt" translates a Greek word related to the word for a tent or tabernacle. God, who once filled the tabernacle with his glory (Exodus 40:34), now lives among us in a human body. That's the incarnation, from the Latin for "in flesh". The book of John summary shows how the rest of the Gospel builds on this opening.

Why Jesus came: Christmas verses about the gospel

These verses connect the manger to the cross, which is why they show up in Christmas sermons and on cards.

• Matthew 1:21. "He shall save his people from their sins." The reason is in the name.
• Luke 19:10. "For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost."
• John 3:16. God "gave his only begotten Son", and the next verse adds that he sent him "that the world through him might be saved."
• Philippians 2:7. He "took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men".
• 1 Timothy 1:15. "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief."

Paul sums up both the birth and its purpose in two verses.

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.

Short Christmas verses for cards

A card has room for a line or two. Every quote below was checked against the KJV text word for word, and the count is for the exact words shown. "Part" means a clause from the verse, which is fine on a card as long as the reference is there.

Two tips for cards:

• Match the verse to the person. Luke 2:19 suits a new mother, Luke 2:29-30 an older friend, and Luke 1:37 someone facing something hard this Christmas.
• Always add the reference. It lets the person look the verse up, and on a partial quote it shows where the rest is.

Short verses are easier to memorize too. Our list of short Bible verses to memorize has 30 more, all under 15 words.

Christmas verses in the KJV: old words, plain meanings

The KJV is the wording of many carols and of Linus's speech, but a few of its words have shifted meaning since 1611.

For more help with the old wording, see how to read the KJV Bible.

One verse a day in December 2026

One verse (two on a couple of days) for each day from Tuesday, December 1 to Christmas Day, Friday, December 25, 2026, in story order. Read the verse and the few around it: about two minutes.

In the text, Simeon, Anna and the wise men come after the birth, so they're not in the December list. To keep going through the twelve days of Christmas, read Luke 2:30-32 on December 26, Luke 2:38 on December 27, Matthew 2:2 on December 28, and Matthew 2:11 on Epiphany, Wednesday, January 6, 2027.

Prefer whole passages? Our Advent Bible reading plan starts on Sunday, November 29, 2026, with one short passage and one question a day.

How to memorize three Christmas verses this season

Three verses is a realistic goal, and these three cover the promise, the birth and its meaning.

1. Isaiah 9:6, opening line (13 words): "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given".
2. Luke 2:14 (14 words): the angels' praise.
3. John 1:14, first clause (10 words): "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us".

Learn one a week and review each on a spaced schedule: the next day, then day 4, day 7, day 14 and day 30. Our guide to spaced repetition for Bible memory explains why those gaps work. Here it is with dates.

Three ways to make each one stick:

• Read it in context first. Read Luke 2:8-20 before learning Luke 2:14; a sentence sticks better when you know who said it.
• Use first letters. Write the first letter of each word and recite from that. Luke 2:14 becomes "G t G i t h, a o e p, g w t m." Once you can say it from the letters, try it from nothing.
• Say the reference at both ends. "Luke 2:14. Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. Luke 2:14." You're learning the address as well as the words.

If a review goes badly, review again the next day and carry on. Our guide on how to memorize Scripture has seven methods, and the 52 Bible verses to memorize list gives you one for every week of 2027.

Frequently asked questions

What is the most popular Christmas Bible verse?

Luke 2:10-11 is among the best known: "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." Isaiah 9:6 ("unto us a child is born"), Luke 2:14 and John 1:14 are close behind.

What Bible verses are about the birth of Jesus?

The birth itself is told in Luke 2:1-7, especially Luke 2:7: "she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger". Matthew 1:18-25 tells it from Joseph's side, and Matthew 2:1 dates it "in the days of Herod the king". John 1:14 and Galatians 4:4 explain what the birth means.

What is a short Christmas verse for a card?

Good short options in the KJV include Luke 2:14, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men" (14 words), and 2 Corinthians 9:15, "Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift" (8 words). Matthew 2:10, Luke 2:19 and the opening line of Isaiah 9:6 also fit on a card. Always include the reference.

Which Old Testament verses predict the birth of Jesus?

The ones the New Testament itself quotes are Isaiah 7:14 (a virgin shall conceive, quoted in Matthew 1:23), Micah 5:2 (a ruler from Bethlehem, quoted in Matthew 2:6) and Hosea 11:1 ("called my son out of Egypt", quoted in Matthew 2:15). Christians also read Genesis 3:15, Numbers 24:17, Isaiah 9:6-7 and Isaiah 11:1 as pointing to his coming.

Is "Jesus is the reason for the season" in the Bible?

No. It's a modern saying, and the Bible doesn't mention Christmas as a holiday or give a date for Jesus' birth. The idea behind it is biblical, though. Matthew 1:21 puts the reason in the name itself, "he shall save his people from their sins", and 1 Timothy 1:15 says "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners".