11 Bible Verses about Advent

The birth of Jesus Christ took place as follows:--His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, but, before the marriage took place, she found herself to be with child by the power of the Holy Spirit. Her husband, Joseph, was a religious man and, being unwilling to expose her to contempt, resolved to put an end to their betrothal privately. He had been dwelling upon this, when an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. "Joseph, son of David," the angel said, "do not be afraid to take Mary for your wife, for her child has been conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit.read more.
She shall give birth to a son; and you shall give him the name Jesus, for it is he who shall save his people from their sins." All this happened in fulfillment of these words of the Lord in the Prophet, where he says-- 'Behold! the virgin shall be with child and shall give birth to a son, And they will give him the name Immanuel'--a word which means 'God is with us.' When Joseph awoke from his sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord had directed him. He made Mary his wife, but did not live with her as her husband until after the birth of her son; and to this son he gave the name Jesus.

Six months later the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, To a maiden there who was betrothed to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. Her name was Mary. Gabriel came into her presence and said: "Hail, you who have been highly favored! The Lord is with you."read more.
Mary was much disturbed at his words, and was wondering to herself what such a greeting could mean, When the angel spoke again: "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And now, you shall be with child and give birth to a son, and you shall give him the name Jesus. The child shall be great and shall be called 'Son of the Most High,' and the Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David, And he shall reign over the descendants of Jacob for ever; And to his kingdom there shall be no end." "How can this be?" Mary asked the angel. "For I have no husband." "The Holy Spirit shall descend upon you," answered the angel, "and the Power of the Most High shall overshadow you; and therefore the child will be called 'holy,' and 'Son of God.' And Elizabeth, your cousin, is herself also expecting a son in her old age; and it is now the sixth month with her, though she is called barren; For no promise from God shall fail to be fulfilled." "I am the servant of the Lord," exclaimed Mary; "let it be with me as you have said." Then the angel left her.

About that time an edict was issued by the Emperor Augustus that a census should be taken of the whole Empire. (This was the first census taken while Quirinius was Governor of Syria). And every one went to his own town to be registered.read more.
Among others Joseph went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Bethlehem, the town of David, in Judea--because he belonged to the family and house of David-- To be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was about to become a mother. While they were there her time came, And she gave birth to her first child, a son. And because there was no room for them in the inn, she swathed him round and laid him in a manger. In that same country-side were shepherds out in the open fields, watching their flocks that night, When an angel of the Lord suddenly stood by them, and the Glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were seized with fear. "Have no fear," the angel said. "For I bring you good news of a great joy in store for all the nation. This day there has been born to you, in the town of David, a Savior, who is Christ and Lord. And this shall be the sign for you. You will find the infant swathed, and lying in a manger." Then suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly Host, praising God, and singing-- "Glory to God on high, And on earth peace among men in whom he finds pleasure." Now, when the angels had left them and gone back to Heaven, the shepherds said to one another: "Let us go at once to Bethlehem, and see this thing that has happened, of which the Lord has told us." So they went quickly, and found Mary and Joseph, and the infant lying in a manger; And, when they saw it, they told of all that had been said to them about this child. All who heard the shepherds were astonished at their story, While Mary treasured up all that they said, and dwelt upon it in her thoughts. And the shepherds went back, giving glory and praise to God for all that they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

While they were there her time came, And she gave birth to her first child, a son. And because there was no room for them in the inn, she swathed him round and laid him in a manger.

After the birth of Jesus at Bethlehem in Judea, in the reign of King Herod, some Astrologers from the East arrived in Jerusalem, asking: "Where is the new-born King of the Jews? for we saw his star in the east, and have come to do homage to him."

Again, Isaiah says--'There shall be a Scion of the house of Jesse, One who is to arise to rule the Gentiles; on him shall the Gentiles rest their hopes.' May God, who inspires our hope, grant you perfect happiness and peace in your faith, till you are filled with this hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Whatever was written in the Scriptures in days gone by was written for our instruction, so that, through patient endurance, and through the encouragement drawn from the Scriptures, we might hold fast to our hope. And may God, the giver of this patience and this encouragement, grant you to be united in sympathy in Christ, So that with one heart and one voice you may praise the God and Father of Jesus Christ, our Lord.read more.
Therefore always receive one another as friends, just as the Christ himself received us, to the glory of God. For I tell you that Christ, in vindication of God's truthfulness, has become a minister of the Covenant of Circumcision, so that he may fulfil the promises made to our ancestors, And that the Gentiles also may praise God for his mercy. As Scripture says--'Therefore will I make acknowledgment to thee among the Gentiles and sing in honor of thy Name.' And again it says--'Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with God's People.' And yet again--'Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles, and let all Peoples sing his praises.' Again, Isaiah says--'There shall be a Scion of the house of Jesse, One who is to arise to rule the Gentiles; on him shall the Gentiles rest their hopes.' May God, who inspires our hope, grant you perfect happiness and peace in your faith, till you are filled with this hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

About that time John the Baptist first appeared, proclaiming in the Wilderness of Judea: "Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand." This is he who was spoken of in the Prophet Isaiah, where he says--'The voice of one crying aloud in the Wilderness: "Make ready the way of the Lord, Make his paths straight."'read more.
John wore clothing made of camels' hair, with a belt of leather round his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. At that time Jerusalem, and all Judea, as well as the whole district of the Jordan, went out to him And were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. When, however, John saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to receive his baptism, he said to them: "You brood of vipers! Who has prompted you to seek refuge from the coming judgment? Let your life, then, prove your repentance; And do not think that you can say among yourselves 'Abraham is our ancestor,' for I tell you that out of these very stones God is able to raise descendants for Abraham! Already the axe is lying at the root of the trees. Therefore every tree that fails to bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. I, indeed, baptize you with water to teach repentance; but He who is Coming after me is more powerful than I, and I am not fit even to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. His winnowing-fan is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing-floor, and store his grain in the barn, but the chaff he will burn with inextinguishable fire."

In that same country-side were shepherds out in the open fields, watching their flocks that night, When an angel of the Lord suddenly stood by them, and the Glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were seized with fear. "Have no fear," the angel said. "For I bring you good news of a great joy in store for all the nation.read more.
This day there has been born to you, in the town of David, a Savior, who is Christ and Lord. And this shall be the sign for you. You will find the infant swathed, and lying in a manger." Then suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly Host, praising God, and singing-- "Glory to God on high, And on earth peace among men in whom he finds pleasure." Now, when the angels had left them and gone back to Heaven, the shepherds said to one another: "Let us go at once to Bethlehem, and see this thing that has happened, of which the Lord has told us." So they went quickly, and found Mary and Joseph, and the infant lying in a manger; And, when they saw it, they told of all that had been said to them about this child. All who heard the shepherds were astonished at their story, While Mary treasured up all that they said, and dwelt upon it in her thoughts. And the shepherds went back, giving glory and praise to God for all that they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

Then suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly Host, praising God, and singing-- "Glory to God on high, And on earth peace among men in whom he finds pleasure."

This I say, because you know the crisis that we have reached, for the time has already come for you to rouse yourselves from sleep; our Salvation is nearer now than when we accepted the Faith. The night is almost gone; the day is near. Therefore let us have done with the deeds of Darkness, and arm ourselves with the weapons of Light. Being in the light of Day, let us live becomingly, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lust and licentiousness, not in quarreling and jealousy.read more.
No! Arm yourselves with the spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ, and spend no thought on your earthly nature, to satisfy its cravings.