During Advent, we celebrate a new coming. We celebrate an arrival. The arrival of a baby boy born in a stable. A baby, yet a king. The arrival of new life to a young, bewildered couple. The arrival of a new life for you and me. The arrival of a new kingdom.
While the term advent is not used directly in Scripture, the word advent is derived from the Latin word adventus meaning "coming". We use the time of Advent - the four weeks leading up to Christmas - to reflect on the coming Messiah. Spend time during Advent remembering God's promises of hope, love, joy and peace that we have through Jesus Christ. Scripture is filled with powerful verses that help us focus our hearts and minds on Jesus during this busy holiday. May these Bible verses relating to Advent warm your heart and bring you joy in this wondrous season!
Traditional Scripture Readings for the Advent Season
The Advent season is an invitation for you and me to step into a time of anticipation and reflection. It’s a chance for us to slow down and draw closer to God, remembering His incredible promise of salvation through Christ. As we journey through this season, we look back on God’s faithfulness and forward to the joy of celebrating Jesus’ birth. When you read Scriptures from Isaiah and Luke, you’re stepping into the heart of God’s story for all of us. Isaiah’s words paint vivid pictures of the Savior who was to come, and Luke’s Gospel brings that promise to life, showing how God fulfilled His word in the most beautiful and unexpected way. These passages remind us that God’s love is personal, His promises are true, and His peace is for you and me as we prepare our hearts for Christmas.
"Zion, herald of good news, go up on a high mountain. Jerusalem, herald of good news, raise your voice loudly. Raise it, do not be afraid! Say to the cities of Judah, “Here is your God!” See, the Lord God comes with strength, and his power establishes his rule. His wages are with him, and his reward accompanies him. He protects his flock like a shepherd; he gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them in the fold of his garment. He gently leads those that are nursing." - Isaiah 40:9-11
"Therefore, the Lord himself will give you a sign: See, the virgin will conceive, have a son, and name him Immanuel." - Isaiah 7:14
"A voice of one crying out: Prepare the way of the Lord in the wilderness; make a straight highway for our God in the desert. Every valley will be lifted up, and every mountain and hill will be leveled; the uneven ground will become smooth and the rough places, a plain. And the glory of the Lord will appear, and all humanity together will see it, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken." - Isaiah 40:3-5
"Then a shoot will grow from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots will bear fruit. The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him—a Spirit of wisdom and understanding, a Spirit of counsel and strength, a Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord. His delight will be in the fear of the Lord. He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, he will not execute justice by what he hears with his ears, but he will judge the poor righteously and execute justice for the oppressed of the land. He will strike the land with a scepter from his mouth, and he will kill the wicked with a command from his lips. Righteousness will be a belt around his hips; faithfulness will be a belt around his waist." - Isaiah 11:1-5
"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." - John 1:14
"In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man named Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And the angel came to her and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you.” But she was deeply troubled by this statement, wondering what kind of greeting this could be. Then the angel told her: “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Now listen: You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of his father David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and his kingdom will have no end.” Mary asked the angel, “How can this be, since I have not had sexual relations with a man?” The angel replied to her: “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore, the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. And consider your relative Elizabeth—even she has conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called childless. For nothing will be impossible with God.” “I am the Lord’s servant,” said Mary. “May it be done to me according to your word.” Then the angel left her." - Luke 1:26-38
"In those days Mary set out and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judah where she entered Zechariah’s house and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped inside her, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. Then she exclaimed with a loud cry: “Blessed are you among women, and your child will be blessed! How could this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For you see, when the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby leaped for joy inside me. Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill what he has spoken to her!” - Luke 1:39-45
"And Mary said: My soul praises the greatness of the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, because he has looked with favor on the humble condition of his servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed, because the Mighty One has done great things for me, and his name is holy. His mercy is from generation to generation on those who fear him. He has done a mighty deed with his arm; he has scattered the proud because of the thoughts of their hearts; he has toppled the mighty from their thrones and exalted the lowly. He has satisfied the hungry with good things and sent the rich away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, remembering his mercy to Abraham and his descendants forever, just as he spoke to our ancestors. And Mary stayed with her about three months; then she returned to her home." - Luke 1:46-56
"Now the time had come for Elizabeth to give birth, and she had a son. Then her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her his great mercy, and they rejoiced with her. When they came to circumcise the child on the eighth day, they were going to name him Zechariah, after his father. But his mother responded, “No. He will be called John.” Then they said to her, “None of your relatives has that name.” So they motioned to his father to find out what he wanted him to be called. He asked for a writing tablet and wrote: “His name is John.” And they were all amazed. Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue set free, and he began to speak, praising God. Fear came on all those who lived around them, and all these things were being talked about throughout the hill country of Judea. All who heard about him took it to heart, saying, “What then will this child become?” For, indeed, the Lord’s hand was with him." - Luke 1:57-66
Advent Bible Verses of Grace
This season is rich with the promise of grace, inviting believers to prepare their hearts for the arrival of Christ. Throughout Scripture, the theme of God’s unmerited favor shines brightly, offering hope and reassurance during this time of waiting and reflection. Advent Bible verses of grace reveal the depth of God’s love and His redemptive plan for humanity, from prophetic declarations in the Old Testament to the fulfillment of those promises in the New Testament. These passages encourage us to embrace the transformative power of grace, drawing closer to God’s presence as we anticipate the celebration of Jesus’ birth.
Grace is here. Grace came down, in the form of a baby, not only to Bethlehem 2,000 years ago, but to you and me. Today.
Ephesians 2:8-9 “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.”
Luke 2:40 “And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was on him.”
Romans 1:4-6 “and who through the Spirit of holiness was appointed the Son of God in power by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord. Through him we received grace and apostleship to call all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith for his name’s sake. And you also are among those Gentiles who are called to belong to Jesus Christ.”
Hebrews 2:9 “But we do see Jesus, who was made lower than the angels for a little while, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.”
1 Peter 1:2 “who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to be obedient to Jesus Christ and sprinkled with his blood: Grace and peace be yours in abundance.”
Isaiah 11:1-2 "Then a shoot will spring from the stem of Jesse, and a branch from his roots will bear fruit. The Spirit of the Lord will rest on Him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and strength, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord."
Galatians 4:4-5 "But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons."
Advent Scriptures of Love
Christmas celebrates God’s boundless love, revealed most fully in the gift of His Son, Jesus Christ. Throughout Scripture, the theme of love is woven into the fabric of God’s redemptive story, culminating in the Advent message of Emmanuel—God with us. Advent Scriptures of love invite believers to reflect on the depth of God’s compassion, the promise of His faithfulness, and the call to embody His love in our own lives.
Lamentations 3:22 “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.”
Mark 10:21 “Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
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.”
John 13:34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.”
John 15:13 ”Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.”
Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Advent Bible Verses of Peace
Advent is a season of stillness and expectation, offering a profound opportunity to reflect on the peace that comes through Christ. In a world often filled with turmoil, Advent Bible verses of peace provide a reminder of God’s promise to bring calm to our hearts and restoration to the world. From the prophetic words of Isaiah to the angelic proclamation of peace in Luke’s Gospel, these Scriptures reveal the depth of God’s desire for reconciliation and wholeness.
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 26:3 “You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.”
Isaiah 26:12 “Lord, you establish peace for us; all that we have accomplished you have done for us.”
Isaiah 53:5 “But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.”
Luke 2:14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
Ephesians 2:14 “For He himself is our peace…"
Mark 1:1-3 "The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. As it is written in Isaiah the prophet: “Behold, I send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way; the voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Make ready the way of the Lord, make His paths straight.'”
Advent Scriptures of Life
This time of year embraces new beginnings and the abundant life promised through Jesus Christ. Rooted in the anticipation of His coming, Advent Scriptures of life reveal God’s plan to renew and restore His creation. From the prophetic hope of the Old Testament to the life-giving words of the Gospels, these passages point to Jesus as the source of eternal life and light for all.
Matthew 10:39 “Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.”
Matthew 20:28 “just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
John 1:4 “In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.”
John 3:14 “so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.”
John 3:36 “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them.”
John 6:51 “I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.”
With the Advent season upon us, we eagerly await the arrival of the Newborn King. We can eagerly await, with hope and assurance, the promise of a Savior who will one day return for us yet again!
When we look to Jesus and celebrate His advent, we remember WHY He was sent to earth to begin with. We realize that with His coming, we’ve been given so very much. Isaiah 61 is a prophecy telling us exactly what He came for…
“The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion— to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor.” (Isaiah 61:1-3)
Advent… the arrival of a baby. A baby who means so very many things to us. A baby who is the gift of grace. The gift of love. The gift of peace. The gift of life. And so much more…
He was. He is. He will be. Forevermore.
Candace Crabtree is just a broken mama thankful for grace and new mercies every morning. She and her husband live in East Tennessee where they homeschool their 3 kids. Candace also enjoys teaching piano, coffee, good books and blogging at His Mercy Is New. On her blog she shares encouragement for weary women from God's Word along with resources for learning to pray the Scriptures.
Photo courtesy: Thinkstockphotos.com
This article is part of our larger Christmas and Advent resource library centered around the events leading up to the birth of Jesus Christ. We hope these articles help you understand the meaning and story behind important Christian holidays and dates and encourage you as you take time to reflect on all that God has done for us through his son Jesus Christ!
What is Advent: Definition & Meaning Behind Christmas Tradition
Advent Wreath and Candles: Understanding the Meaning, History & Tradition
The Advent Calendar's Meaning & History
Christmas Prayers
Advent Prayers
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