Advent Scriptures 2026

The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death, a light has dawned.

A promise for people who had waited a long time in the dark. The first Advent candle says the same thing: light is coming.

Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will fulfill the gracious promise that I have spoken to the house of Israel and the house of Judah.

God keeps his word, even when the wait is long. Advent hope rests on promises kept.

I wait for the LORD; my soul does wait, and in His word I put my hope. My soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen wait for the morning—more than watchmen wait for the morning.

Like a night guard watching for sunrise. That’s Advent in one picture.

Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you believe in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

A prayer to pray over your family as you light the first candle.

“Comfort, comfort My people,” says your God.

After a long, hard season, God’s first word is comfort, said twice so it sinks in.

“A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for Him.’”

John the Baptist got people ready for Jesus. Advent is a time to clear the path in your own heart.

Because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the Dawn will visit us from on high, to shine on those who live in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace.

Zechariah calls Jesus “the Dawn from on high,” coming to guide our feet into peace. Night, then dawn.

Then He will judge between the nations and arbitrate for many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will no longer take up the sword against nation, nor train anymore for war.

A picture of the peace God promises in the end: weapons turned into farm tools.

The LORD your God is among you; He is mighty to save. He will rejoice over you with gladness; He will quiet you with His love; He will rejoice over you with singing.

We sing a lot at Christmas. Here God is the one singing, over you.

So the redeemed of the LORD will return and enter Zion with singing, crowned with everlasting joy. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee.

Sorrow and sighing run away. Joy chases them out.

The Spirit of the Lord GOD is on Me, because the LORD has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent Me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and freedom to the prisoners…

Jesus read this aloud in his hometown and said it was about him (Luke 4:16–21). Good news for the poor and the brokenhearted.

Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth; break forth—let your cry ring out, and sing praises!

The whole earth is invited to celebrate. Isaac Watts based the carol “Joy to the World” on this psalm.

“Behold, the virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call Him Immanuel” (which means, “God with us”).

Immanuel, God with us. Love that comes close instead of staying far away.

This is how God’s love was revealed among us: God sent His one and only Son into the world, so that we might live through Him.

The clearest definition of Christmas love: God sent his Son so we could live through him.

But God proves His love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

God’s love didn’t wait for us to get it right. The baby in the manger came for people who needed him.

We love because He first loved us.

All the love we give at Christmas starts here.

The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, which was just as the angel had told them.

The shepherds went back to the same fields, but they went back changed. A good verse to end Advent on.