11 Bible Verses about Advent

The circumstances of the birth of Jesus Christ were these. After his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they were united in marriage, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. But Joseph her husband, being a kind-hearted man and unwilling publicly to disgrace her, had determined to release her privately from the betrothal. But while he was contemplating this step, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to bring home your wife Mary, for she is with child through the Holy Spirit.read more.
She will give birth to a Son, and you are to call His name JESUS for He it is who will save His People from their sins." All this took place in fulfilment of what the Lord had spoken through the Prophet, "Mark! The maiden will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call His name Immanuel" --a word which signifies 'God with us'. When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded, and brought home his wife, but did not live with her until she had given birth to a son. The child's name he called JESUS.

Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a maiden betrothed to a man of the name of Joseph, a descendant of David. The maiden's name was Mary. So Gabriel went into the house and said to her, "Joy be to you, favoured one! the Lord is with you."read more.
She was greatly agitated at his words, and wondered what such a greeting meant. But the angel said, "Do not be frightened, Mary, for you have found favour with God. You will conceive in your womb and bear a son; and you are to call His name JESUS. He will be great and He will be called 'Son of the Most High.' And the Lord God will give Him the throne of His forefather David; and He will be King over the House of Jacob for the Ages, and of His Kingdom there will be no end." "How can this be," Mary replied, "seeing that I have no husband?" The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for this reason your holy offspring will be called 'the Son of God.' And see, your relative Elizabeth--she also has conceived a son in her old age; and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For no promise from God will be impossible of fulfilment." "I am the Lord's maidservant," Mary replied; "may it be with me in accordance with your words!" And then the angel left her.

Just at this time an edict was issued by Caesar Augustus for the registration of the whole Empire. It was the first registration made during the governorship of Quirinius in Syria; and all went to be registered--every one to the town to which he belonged.read more.
So Joseph went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judaea, to David's town of Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to have himself registered together with Mary, who was betrothed to him and was with child. But while they were there, her full time came, and she gave birth to her first-born son, and wrapped Him round, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. Now there were shepherds in the same part of the country, keeping watch over their sheep by night in the open fields, when suddenly an angel of the Lord stood by them, and the glory of the Lord shone round them; and they were filled with terror. But the angel said to them, "Put away all fear; for I am bringing you good news of great joy--joy for all the People. For a Saviour who is the Anointed Lord is born to you to-day, in the town of David. And this is the token for you: you will find a babe wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger." And immediately there was with the angel a multitude of the army of Heaven praising God and saying, "Glory be to God in the highest Heavens, And on earth peace among men who please Him!" Then, as soon as the angels had left them and returned to Heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us now go over as far as Bethlehem and see this that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us." So they made haste and came and found Mary and Joseph, with the babe lying in the manger. And when they saw the child, they told what had been said to them about Him; and all who listened were astonished at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured up all these things, often dwelling on them in her mind. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen in accordance with the announcement made to them.

But while they were there, her full time came, and she gave birth to her first-born son, and wrapped Him round, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

Now after the birth of Jesus, which took place at Bethlehem in Judaea in the reign of King Herod, excitement was produced in Jerusalem by the arrival of certain Magi from the east, inquiring, "Where is the newly born king of the Jews? For we have seen his Star in the east, and have come here to do him homage."

And again Isaiah says, "There shall be the Root of Jesse and One who rises up to rule the Gentiles. On Him shall the Gentiles build their hopes." May God, the giver of hope, fill you with continual joy and peace because you trust in Him--so that you may have abundant hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.

For all that was written of old has been written for our instruction, so that we may always have hope through the power of endurance and the encouragement which the Scriptures afford. And may God, the giver of power of endurance and of that encouragement, grant you to be in full sympathy with one another in accordance with the example of Christ Jesus, so that with oneness both of heart and voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.read more.
Habitually therefore give one another a friendly reception, just as Christ also has received you, and thus promote the glory of God. My meaning is that Christ has become a servant to the people of Israel in vindication of God's truthfulness-- in showing how sure are the promises made to our forefathers-- and that the Gentiles also have glorified God in acknowledgment of His mercy. So it is written, "For this reason I will praise Thee among the Gentiles, and sing psalms in honour of Thy name." And again the Psalmist says, "Be glad, ye Gentiles, in company with His People." And again, "Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles, and let all the people extol Him." And again Isaiah says, "There shall be the Root of Jesse and One who rises up to rule the Gentiles. On Him shall the Gentiles build their hopes." May God, the giver of hope, fill you with continual joy and peace because you trust in Him--so that you may have abundant hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.

About this time John the Baptist made his appearance, preaching in the Desert of Judaea. "Repent," he said, "for the Kingdom of the Heavens is now close at hand." He it is who was spoken of through the Prophet Isaiah when he said, "The voice of one crying aloud, 'In the desert prepare ye a road for the Lord: make His highway straight.'"read more.
This man John wore a garment of camel's hair, and a loincloth of leather; and he lived upon locusts and wild honey. Then large numbers of people went out to him--people from Jerusalem and from all Judaea, and from the whole of the Jordan valley-- and were baptized by him in the Jordan, making full confession of their sins. But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he exclaimed, "O vipers' brood, who has warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Therefore let your lives prove your change of heart; and do not imagine that you can say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our forefather,' for I tell you that God can raise up descendants for Abraham from these stones. And already the axe is lying at the root of the trees, so that every tree which does not produce good fruit will quickly be hewn down and thrown into the fire. I indeed am baptizing you in water on a profession of repentance; but He who is coming after me is mightier than I: His sandals I am not worthy to carry for a moment; He will baptize you in the Holy Spirit and in fire. His winnowing-shovel is in His hand, and He will make a thorough clearance of His threshing-floor, gathering His wheat into the storehouse, but burning up the chaff in unquenchable fire."

Now there were shepherds in the same part of the country, keeping watch over their sheep by night in the open fields, when suddenly an angel of the Lord stood by them, and the glory of the Lord shone round them; and they were filled with terror. But the angel said to them, "Put away all fear; for I am bringing you good news of great joy--joy for all the People.read more.
For a Saviour who is the Anointed Lord is born to you to-day, in the town of David. And this is the token for you: you will find a babe wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger." And immediately there was with the angel a multitude of the army of Heaven praising God and saying, "Glory be to God in the highest Heavens, And on earth peace among men who please Him!" Then, as soon as the angels had left them and returned to Heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us now go over as far as Bethlehem and see this that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us." So they made haste and came and found Mary and Joseph, with the babe lying in the manger. And when they saw the child, they told what had been said to them about Him; and all who listened were astonished at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured up all these things, often dwelling on them in her mind. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen in accordance with the announcement made to them.

And immediately there was with the angel a multitude of the army of Heaven praising God and saying, "Glory be to God in the highest Heavens, And on earth peace among men who please Him!"

Carry out these injunctions because you know the critical period at which we are living, and that it is now high time, to rouse yourselves from sleep; for salvation is now nearer to us than when we first became believers. The night is far advanced, and day is about to dawn. We must therefore lay aside the deeds of darkness, and clothe ourselves with the armour of Light. Living as we do in broad daylight, let us conduct ourselves becomingly, not indulging in revelry and drunkenness, nor in lust and debauchery, nor in quarrelling and jealousy.read more.
On the contrary, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for gratifying your earthly cravings.