Short Christmas Bible verses for cards
Twelve short verses from the King James Version, each one ready to copy into a card or a message.
- “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.” Luke 2:11
- “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” Luke 2:14
- “Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.” Luke 2:10
- “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given” Isaiah 9:6
- “Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.” Matthew 1:23
- “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us” John 1:14
- “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son” John 3:16
- “Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.” 2 Corinthians 9:15
- “And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.” John 1:5
- “But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son” Galatians 4:4
- “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men” Titus 2:11
- “For with God nothing shall be impossible.” Luke 1:37
All from the King James Version. For a verse matched to each person on your list, with a message to go with it, see the card ideas further down.
Prophecies of Jesus’ birth
Long before Bethlehem, Israel's prophets spoke of a child who would come. Christians read these three passages as pointing to Jesus, and the Gospel writers quote them that way.
“Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.”
Isaiah first spoke these words to King Ahaz of Judah, who was frightened of two enemy kings and refused to ask God for a sign (Isaiah 7:1-12). Matthew sees the sign's full meaning in the birth of Mary's son (Matthew 1:22-23).
“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.”
Isaiah 9:6 gives the child names no ordinary king could carry: The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. The next verse promises that his peace and his kingdom will have no end (Isaiah 9:7).
“But thou, Bethlehem 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 even named the town. When King Herod asked the chief priests and scribes where the Christ would be born, they answered with this verse: Bethlehem (Matthew 2:4-6).
Emmanuel, God with us (Matthew 1:21-23)
Matthew tells the story from Joseph's side. In a dream, an angel tells him who Mary's child is and gives the child two names.
“And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.”
The name Jesus comes with its reason attached: “for he shall save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21, KJV). The name Emmanuel tells you who is doing the saving: God himself, with us. Christmas holds both. God came near, and he came to rescue.
The Word was made flesh (John 1:14)
John's Gospel has no manger and no shepherds. It starts before time began: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1, KJV). Then, in one sentence, the eternal Word steps into history.
“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.”
The Greek word behind dwelt means to pitch a tent. The God who once met Israel in a tent in the wilderness (Exodus 25:8-9) now lived among people in a human body, close enough to be seen and touched (1 John 1:1). That is what Christians celebrate at Christmas: not only a birth, but God coming to live with his people.
Christmas card Bible verses for family and friends
A verse and two honest sentences make a card worth keeping. Here is a verse for each person on your list, with a message idea you can change to sound like you.
| For | Verse (KJV) | A message you could write |
|---|---|---|
| Family | “Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing” (Romans 15:13, KJV) | This is our Christmas prayer for you: joy, peace and hope that last long after the decorations come down. We love you. |
| Friends | “I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people” (Luke 2:10, KJV) | Wishing you the joy the angel announced, the kind that is still there after the wrapping paper is gone. Merry Christmas, friend. |
| Parents or grandparents | “But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.” (Luke 2:19, KJV) | Thank you for every Christmas you have made for us and kept in your heart. We treasure you. |
| A family with a new baby | “And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him.” (Luke 2:40, KJV) | Celebrating your little one's first Christmas, and praying that the grace of God rests on them as they grow. |
| Someone far from home | “Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.” (Matthew 1:23, KJV) | We are miles apart this Christmas, but God is with you, and so are our prayers. |
| Someone who is grieving | “The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light” (Isaiah 9:2, KJV) | I know this Christmas comes with an empty chair. I am praying for you, and I would love to hear you talk about them whenever you want. |
| Your church or pastor | “And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen” (Luke 2:20, KJV) | Thank you for a year of worship, prayer and open doors. Merry Christmas from our family. |
| Neighbors and coworkers | “on earth peace, good will toward men” (Luke 2:14, KJV) | Wishing you a peaceful Christmas and a restful new year. It is good to know you. |
| Children | “When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.” (Matthew 2:10, KJV) | Merry Christmas! The wise men followed a star all the way to Jesus. May you always know where to find him. |
All verses are from the King James Version.
Christmas verses about joy, peace, hope and light
Four words fill Christmas cards and carols. Here is where each one comes from in Scripture.
Joy
The angel's first words to the shepherds were “Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy” (Luke 2:10, KJV). Months earlier Mary had sung, “my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour” (Luke 1:47, KJV), and when the star stopped over the house, the wise men “rejoiced with exceeding great joy” (Matthew 2:10, KJV). Christmas joy is joy about someone who has come, so it can sit alongside a hard week.
Peace
The angels praised God for “on earth peace, good will toward men” (Luke 2:14, KJV), and Isaiah named the child “The Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6, KJV). Zacharias, the father of John the Baptist, said the light God was sending would come “to guide our feet into the way of peace” (Luke 1:79, KJV). It starts as peace with God and spreads from there into homes and families.
Hope
Simeon was a man “waiting for the consolation of Israel” (Luke 2:25, KJV), and in the temple he finally held the answer in his arms (Luke 2:28). Christians still wait, “Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13, KJV). Christmas hope looks back to a birth and forward to his return.
Light
“The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light” (Isaiah 9:2, KJV). John calls Jesus “the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world” (John 1:9, KJV), and Jesus said it of himself: “I am the light of the world” (John 8:12, KJV). Every candle lit on Christmas Eve is a small picture of that promise.
For more on three of these, see the Bible verses about joy, peace and hope.
For a hard Christmas
The first Christmas was not easy either. Mary gave birth far from home and laid her baby in a feeding trough (Luke 2:7). Soon after, the family fled to Egypt as refugees (Matthew 2:13-14), and Bethlehem was full of mothers weeping for their children (Matthew 2:16-18). If this Christmas comes after a death, a divorce, a diagnosis or a lonely year, you are not outside the story. You are in the part of it the cards leave out.
“The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart” (Psalm 34:18, KJV). You do not have to feel festive to keep Christmas. Read Luke 2 slowly, light one candle, say the name of the person you miss. Many churches hold a quiet Blue Christmas or Longest Night service in December for people who are grieving, a gentle place to sit with others and still hear that the light has come. When you cannot find the words, these prayers for grief may help.
If the season brings thoughts of ending your life, please reach out now: call or text 988 in the US or Canada, call Samaritans on 116 123 in the UK and Ireland, or find a helpline near you at findahelpline.com.
Frequently asked
Where is the Christmas story in the Bible?
In two Gospels. Luke 1:26-2:20 tells it from Mary's side: the angel Gabriel, the journey to Bethlehem, the manger and the shepherds. Matthew 1:18-2:12 tells it from Joseph's side: his dream, the name Jesus, and the wise men who followed the star. John 1:1-14 tells the same event from eternity: “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us” (John 1:14, KJV). Mark begins with Jesus as a grown man, so it has no birth story.
What scripture is read at Christmas?
Luke 2 is at the heart of it. In the Catholic Church the Christmas Masses read Matthew 1 at the vigil, Luke 2:1-14 at night, Luke 2:15-20 at dawn and John 1:1-18 during the day. The Revised Common Lectionary sets Isaiah 9:2-7, Titus 2:11-14 and Luke 2:1-14 (or 2:1-20) for Christmas Eve, and John 1:1-14 for Christmas Day. At home, reading Luke 2:1-20 aloud takes about three minutes.
Is December 25 in the Bible?
No. The Gospels give no date for Jesus' birth, not even the time of year. The earliest record of December 25 as Jesus' birthday is a Roman almanac from the middle of the 300s. Historians still discuss why that date was chosen: some link it to Roman winter festivals, others to an early Christian belief that Jesus was conceived on March 25, nine months before. Many Orthodox Christians who keep the older Julian calendar celebrate Christmas on January 7, which is December 25 on that calendar.
What Bible passage does Linus read in A Charlie Brown Christmas?
Luke 2:8-14, in the King James Version. He recites it from “And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field” to “on earth peace, good will toward men” (Luke 2:8-14, KJV). The special first aired on CBS in December 1965, and Charles Schulz insisted that the Bible reading stay in.
What is a good short Bible verse for a Christmas card?
Luke 2:11 is hard to beat: “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:11, KJV). Other favorites are “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men” (Luke 2:14, KJV) and “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given” (Isaiah 9:6, KJV). Add a sentence or two in your own words; that personal line is what people remember.
What does Emmanuel mean?
It means God with us. Matthew explains the name himself: “they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us” (Matthew 1:23, KJV). He is quoting Isaiah 7:14, where the KJV spells the name Immanuel. It is the heart of Christmas: God did not send help from a distance. He came himself.
Back to the fields
Luke ends the Christmas story in an unexpected place. After the angels, the manger and the crowd of amazed listeners, “the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God” (Luke 2:20, KJV). They went back to the same fields, the same sheep and the same cold nights. Nothing about their work had changed. They had.
That is a good word for the days after Christmas, when the tree comes down and ordinary life comes back. The point of Christmas was never to stay in Bethlehem. It was to carry the news back into the fields: God has come close, and he stays close. Luke adds that “Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart” (Luke 2:19, KJV). Choose one verse from this page to keep and ponder in yours, and take it with you into the new year.
The Christmas story in Luke 2 (KJV)
Luke tells the night of Jesus' birth in twenty verses. Here they are in three parts: the birth, the angels, and the shepherds' visit. In Faithero you can read Luke 2 in the KJV or the Douay-Rheims and have it read aloud, which makes an easy family reading on Christmas Eve.
Notice how ordinary the setting is. A tax decree from Rome sends Joseph and Mary from Nazareth to Bethlehem, the town of King David. The Son of God is born there and laid in a manger, an animal's feeding trough, “because there was no room for them in the inn” (Luke 2:7, KJV).
The first people told about the birth were shepherds working the night shift, not priests or kings. The angel's good news is for everyone, “to all people” (Luke 2:10, KJV), and the sign is a baby in a manger. Then the whole sky fills with praise.
The shepherds came “with haste” (Luke 2:16, KJV), found everything just as they had been told, and could not keep it to themselves. Mary did the opposite: she kept it and pondered it. Both are good ways to answer Christmas. For a daily reading in the weeks before Christmas, try the Advent reading plan.