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Stories, Genesis to Revelation
150 storiesChristmas
Genesis 3:8–15
The First PromiseOn the saddest day in the garden, Adam and Eve hide from God. But before God speaks a word of consequence to them, he speaks a promise: a child of the woman will one day crush the serpent.
Genesis 12:1–3; 22:15–18
All Families BlessedGod calls Abram to leave home for a land he has never seen, and promises that through his family every nation on earth will be blessed. Years later, on a mountain, God repeats the promise.
Genesis 22:1–14
God Will Provide the LambGod tests Abraham by asking for his beloved son Isaac. On the climb up Mount Moriah, Isaac asks where the lamb is, and Abraham answers that God himself will provide it.
Genesis 28:10–17
Heaven OpenedJacob runs from home with only a stone for a pillow. In a dream he sees a stairway joining earth and heaven, and God promises to be with him wherever he goes.
Genesis 49:8–12
The Sceptre Shall Not DepartOld Jacob, near death in Egypt, gathers his twelve sons to bless them. To Judah he speaks of a lion, a sceptre, and a ruler whom the nations will obey.
Exodus 12:1–14
The Lamb at the DoorOn the night before Israel leaves Egypt, God tells every family to choose a lamb and mark their doorframes with its blood. When the judgement passes through the land, it passes over the marked houses.
Exodus 13:17–22
Light by NightFreed from Egypt, Israel sets out into the wilderness. God does not lead them by the short road, but goes ahead of them himself: a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night.
Numbers 24:15–19
A Star Out of JacobA foreign king hires the famous seer Balaam to curse Israel. Each time Balaam opens his mouth, a blessing comes out instead, and at last he sees a star and a sceptre rising from Jacob.
Deuteronomy 18:15–19
A Prophet Like MosesNear the end of his life, Moses tells Israel that God will raise up another prophet like him from among their own people, and that they must listen to him.
2 Samuel 7:1–17
A House ForeverKing David, settled in his cedar palace, wants to build a house for God. Instead, God promises to build David a house: a family line and a kingdom that will last forever.
Psalm 2
You Are My SonA royal song from Jerusalem: the nations plot against God and his anointed king, but God laughs, crowns his king on Zion, and says, 'You are my Son.'
Psalm 24
Lift Up Your HeadsA song of David for climbing God's hill. Who may go up to meet God? And then a great cry to the ancient city gates: open wide, for the King of glory is coming in.
Psalm 72:1–17
Kings Will Bring GiftsA prayer for the king, linked with Solomon: may he rule with justice, rescue the poor, and reign as long as the sun, while kings from far-off lands bring him gifts.
Isaiah 7:10–16
ImmanuelTwo enemy kings threaten Jerusalem, and young King Ahaz is shaking with fear. Isaiah offers him any sign from God. Ahaz refuses, and Isaiah gives him one anyway: a child called Immanuel, God with us.
Isaiah 9:1–7
People Walking in DarknessGalilee has been crushed by Assyria and lies in deep shadow. Isaiah announces a great light, a broken yoke, and a child born to sit on David's throne: Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Isaiah 11:1–10
A Shoot from Jesse's StumpIsaiah pictures David's royal family as a tree chopped down to a stump. But a green shoot will grow from it: a king full of God's Spirit, who brings justice and a peace so deep that wolves lie down with lambs.
Isaiah 2:1–5
Swords into PloughsharesIn a land used to war, Isaiah sees a vision of the last days: the nations streaming up to God's mountain to learn his ways, and beating their weapons into farming tools.
Isaiah 25:6–9
A Feast for All PeoplesIsaiah sees God preparing a banquet on his mountain for every nation, with the finest food and wine. There God removes the veil of sorrow, swallows up death forever, and wipes away every tear.
Isaiah 35
The Desert Will BloomIsaiah sings of a dry wilderness bursting into flower, weak hands made strong, the blind seeing and the lame leaping, and a holy highway leading God's rescued people home with singing.
Isaiah 40:1–11
Comfort, Comfort My PeopleTo God's people, crushed and far from home, comes a tender message: comfort. A voice cries out to prepare a road in the wilderness, for God is coming, strong as a king and gentle as a shepherd carrying lambs.
Isaiah 42:1–9; 49:6
A Light for the NationsGod introduces his chosen Servant: so gentle he will not snap a bruised reed or snuff out a flickering wick, yet so faithful he will bring justice to the whole earth and be a light for every nation.
Isaiah 52:7–10
How Beautiful on the MountainsWatchmen stand on the broken walls of Jerusalem. Far off, a runner appears on the mountains, bringing good news: peace, salvation, your God reigns. The watchmen shout for joy, and the ruins sing.
Isaiah 52:13–53:12
Despised and RejectedIsaiah describes God's servant growing up like a tender shoot in dry ground, not admired, rejected and wounded, carrying the sorrows and sins of others, and in the end raised up and honoured.
Isaiah 55:1–13
Come, All Who Are ThirstyLike a market seller calling out across a crowded square, God invites everyone to a free feast of water, wine and milk, and promises an everlasting covenant of faithful love, as sure as the rain that waters the earth.
Isaiah 60:1–6
Arise, ShineDarkness covers the earth, but God's glory rises like the dawn over Jerusalem. The nations come to her light, and camel caravans arrive from Midian and Sheba carrying gold and frankincense.
Isaiah 61:1–3
Good News to the PoorIsaiah hears the voice of one anointed by God's Spirit to bring good news to the poor, heal the broken-hearted and proclaim freedom. Centuries later, in the synagogue at Nazareth, Jesus reads these words and says they are fulfilled today.
Micah 5:2–5
Little BethlehemWhile Jerusalem faces siege and humiliation, the prophet Micah names a tiny village as the birthplace of Israel's true ruler: Bethlehem, where a shepherd-king will come whose origins are from of old.
Jeremiah 23:5–6
The Righteous BranchIn Jerusalem's last troubled years, Jeremiah condemns the bad shepherds who scattered God's flock, and promises a righteous Branch from David's family, a King called 'The LORD Our Righteousness'.
Jeremiah 31:31–34
A New CovenantIn the darkest years of Jerusalem, Jeremiah brings a promise of hope: God will make a new covenant, writing his law on people's hearts, so that everyone will know him and their sins will be forgiven.
Daniel 7:13–14
One Like a Son of ManIn Babylon, Daniel dreams of four terrifying beasts rising from a stormy sea. Then thrones are set, the Ancient of Days takes his seat, and one like a son of man comes with the clouds to receive a kingdom that will never end.
Daniel 9:1–27
Gabriel Answers DanielAn old exile in Babylon reads Jeremiah's promise, confesses his people's sin, and prays. Before he finishes, the angel Gabriel arrives with a message about an Anointed One to come.
Zephaniah 3:14–20
He Will Sing over YouIn the days of King Josiah, the prophet Zephaniah warns Jerusalem of judgment. Then his message turns: God himself will live among his humbled people and rejoice over them with singing.
Haggai 2:1–9
The Glory of This HouseReturned exiles are rebuilding the temple, and the old folk who remember Solomon's temple think it looks like nothing. Through Haggai, God tells them to be strong, and promises that the glory of this house will be greater than the first.
Zechariah 9:9–10
Your King Comes, HumbleTo a small, struggling Jerusalem, the prophet Zechariah announces a king unlike any other: righteous, bringing salvation, gentle, and riding on a donkey, who will speak peace to the nations.
Malachi 3:1–4; 4:2–6
Sending My MessengerTo a tired, careless people, the last of the Old Testament prophets brings God's promise: a messenger will prepare the way, the Lord will come to his temple, and the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings.
Matthew 1:1–17
Fourteen GenerationsMatthew begins the story of Jesus with a family tree. Look closely and it is full of surprises: patriarchs and shepherds, kings and exiles, and four remarkable women.
Genesis 38
TamarTwice widowed and then forgotten by her father-in-law Judah, Tamar takes a bold and risky step to claim her place in his family. When the truth comes out, Judah admits: she is more righteous than I.
Joshua 2; 6:22–25
The Scarlet CordIn Jericho, a woman named Rahab hides two Israelite spies under stalks of flax on her roof and hangs a scarlet cord from her window. When the city falls, her whole family is saved, and she becomes part of Israel and an ancestor of Jesus.
Ruth 2
Ruth in the Barley FieldsRuth, a widow from Moab, goes out to pick up leftover grain in the fields of Bethlehem so that she and Naomi can eat. She happens to come to the field of Boaz, who treats the foreigner with surprising kindness.
Ruth 3–4
The Kinsman-RedeemerNaomi sends Ruth to the threshing floor to ask Boaz to be their redeemer. At Bethlehem's town gate, Boaz settles the matter before the elders, redeems Naomi's land, and takes Ruth as his wife.
Ruth 4:13–22
A Son for NaomiRuth and Boaz have a son, and the women of Bethlehem lay him in Naomi's lap. They name him Obed. He will be the grandfather of King David.
Genesis 18:1–15; 21:1–7
Is Anything Too Hard?Three visitors come to Abraham's tent and announce that old Sarah will have a son. Sarah laughs to herself at the idea. A year later, God turns her doubtful laughter into joy, and she names her baby Isaac, 'he laughs'.
Genesis 44:18–45:5
Judah Steps ForwardBenjamin is about to be kept as a slave in Egypt. Judah, the brother who once helped sell Joseph, steps forward and offers to take his place. Joseph cannot hold back any longer.
1 Samuel 16:1–13
Jesse's YoungestGod sends the prophet Samuel to Bethlehem to anoint a new king from Jesse's sons. Seven tall sons pass by, and God says no to each. The one chosen is the youngest, out in the fields with the sheep.
1 Samuel 17:12–20, 34–37
The Shepherd of BethlehemYoung David leaves his sheep near Bethlehem to carry bread and cheese to his brothers at the battle line. Facing doubts about his age, he tells King Saul how he rescued his flock from a lion and a bear, and how the Lord delivered him.
2 Samuel 23:13–17
Water from Bethlehem's WellHiding in a cave while Philistines hold his hometown, David sighs for a drink from Bethlehem's well. Three of his mighty men break through enemy lines to bring it, and David pours it out as an offering to the Lord.
1 Kings 1:11–40
Bathsheba's SonAs King David lies old and weak, his son Adonijah tries to seize the throne. Bathsheba and the prophet Nathan remind David of his promise, and Solomon rides David's own mule to Gihon to be anointed king.
1 Kings 8:22–30
Will God Dwell on Earth?At the dedication of the new temple, King Solomon stands before the altar with his hands raised to heaven and asks a question that echoes all the way to Bethlehem: will God really live on earth?
2 Kings 11:1–12
The Hidden PrinceWhen Queen Athaliah tries to wipe out the royal family of Judah, a brave princess named Jehosheba hides baby Joash in the temple. Six years later, the priest Jehoiada brings out the boy and crowns him king, and David's line goes on.
2 Kings 25:27–30
The King Released from PrisonAfter thirty-seven years as a captive in Babylon, Jehoiachin, the king of David's line, is released from prison by a new Babylonian king, given new clothes, and seated at the king's table for the rest of his life.
Haggai 2:20–23
The Signet RingOn the same day the temple foundation is honoured, God gives Haggai a private message for Zerubbabel, the governor descended from David: I have chosen you, and I will make you like my signet ring.
1 Samuel 1
A Child Given BackYear after year Hannah goes to the house of the Lord at Shiloh without a child, mocked by her rival. She pours out her heart to God and vows to give him her son. God remembers her, and she gives Samuel back to the Lord.
1 Samuel 2:1–10
Hannah's SongHaving given young Samuel to the Lord at Shiloh, Hannah sings. Her song praises a God who humbles the proud, lifts the poor from the dust, and will give strength to his king, his anointed one.
Judges 13
An Angel Announces a BirthIn the days when the Philistines ruled over Israel, the angel of the Lord appears to a childless woman and promises her a son who will begin to save Israel. She and her husband Manoah meet the visitor, ask his name, and watch him rise in the flame of their offering.
2 Kings 4:8–17
A Promised SonA wealthy woman of Shunem feeds the prophet Elisha whenever he passes, and builds him a little room on her roof. When Elisha asks how he can repay her, she asks for nothing. He promises her a son, and a year later she holds him in her arms.
Luke 1:5–17
Zechariah in the TempleAn old priest named Zechariah is chosen by lot to burn incense in the temple. Alone beside the altar, he sees the angel Gabriel, who tells him that his prayer has been heard: his wife Elizabeth will have a son, John, who will prepare the people for the Lord.
Luke 1:18–25
Nine Months of SilenceZechariah asks the angel how he can be sure, and Gabriel tells him he will be unable to speak until the promise comes true. He comes out of the temple silent. Back home, Elizabeth conceives, and her long sorrow turns to joy.
Luke 1:26–33
Gabriel Comes to NazarethSix months after visiting Zechariah, the angel Gabriel is sent to a small village in Galilee, to a young woman named Mary, engaged to Joseph. He greets her as highly favoured and tells her she will bear a son, Jesus, who will reign on David's throne for ever.
Luke 1:34–38
How Will This Be?Mary asks Gabriel one honest question: how can this happen, since I am a virgin? The angel tells her the Holy Spirit will come upon her, points to Elizabeth's pregnancy, and says nothing is impossible with God. Mary answers: let it be to me according to your word.
Luke 1:39–45
Mary Hurries to the HillsAfter Gabriel's visit, Mary sets out in haste from Nazareth to the hill country of Judea to see her relative Elizabeth. When she arrives and calls a greeting, Elizabeth's baby leaps, and Elizabeth blesses Mary for believing.
Luke 1:41–44
The Baby Who LeapedMary walks into Elizabeth's house and says hello. Before Elizabeth can answer, the baby inside her leaps for joy, and she is filled with the Holy Spirit.
Luke 1:46–56
Mary's SongIn Elizabeth's house, Mary answers with a song. She praises a God who lifts up the humble, scatters the proud and fills the hungry with good things.
Luke 1:57–66
His Name Is JohnElizabeth's son is born, and on naming day everyone expects him to be called Zechariah. His silent father asks for a writing tablet and settles it in four words: his name is John.
Luke 1:67–80
Zechariah's SongAfter nine silent months, Zechariah's voice returns as a song. He praises God for keeping his promises and tells his baby son he will prepare the way for the dawn from on high.
Matthew 1:18–19
Joseph, a Righteous ManJoseph discovers that Mary, his promised bride, is expecting a baby. Hurt and confused, he decides to end the engagement quietly, so that she will not be shamed.
Matthew 1:20–25
Joseph's DreamJust as Joseph decides to end his engagement, an angel speaks to him in a dream: do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. Joseph wakes up and does exactly as he is told.
Luke 2:1–3
Caesar's DecreeFar away in Rome, the emperor Augustus orders a registration of his people. Across the empire, families pack up and travel to their home towns, and God's quiet plan moves forward.
Luke 2:4–5
The Road to BethlehemBecause of the emperor's registration, Joseph must travel to Bethlehem, the town of King David. He takes Mary with him, though she is heavily pregnant, on the long road south from Galilee.
Luke 2:6–7
No Guest RoomIn crowded Bethlehem, Mary's time comes. There is no space for them in the guest room, so when her son is born, she wraps him up and lays him in a manger.
Luke 2:7, 12
Wrapped in ClothsMary wraps her newborn in strips of cloth and lays him in a feeding trough. Later an angel tells the shepherds that these two ordinary things will be the sign that they have found the Saviour.
Luke 2:8–9
Shepherds Keeping WatchOn the hills outside Bethlehem, shepherds are keeping watch over their sheep through the night. Suddenly an angel stands before them, the glory of the Lord blazes around them, and they are terrified.
Luke 2:10–12
Good News of Great JoyThe angel tells the terrified shepherds not to be afraid. A Saviour has been born in the city of David, Christ the Lord, and this good news is for all the people.
Luke 2:13–14
Glory in the HighestAs the angel finishes speaking, the sky over Bethlehem fills with a vast heavenly army. They are not there to fight. They are praising God and announcing peace on earth.
Luke 2:15–16
Let's Go and SeeWhen the angels leave, the shepherds don't wait. They hurry down into Bethlehem and find Mary, Joseph and the baby lying in a manger, exactly as they were told.
Luke 2:17–18
Everyone Was AmazedAfter seeing the baby, the shepherds cannot keep quiet. They tell everyone what the angel said about this child, and everyone who hears is amazed. The first people to spread the news of Jesus are shepherds.
Luke 2:19
Mary Treasured These ThingsWhile the shepherds tell everyone their news and the town buzzes with amazement, Mary stays quiet. She keeps every word and turns it over in her heart.
Luke 2:20
The Shepherds Went Back PraisingAfter the angels, the manger and the amazed crowds, the shepherds go back to their sheep and their hills. Their work is the same, but they are not: they return glorifying and praising God.
Luke 2:21
Named JesusEight days after his birth, Mary and Joseph's baby is circumcised, as the law of Moses taught, and given the name the angel chose before he was even conceived: Jesus.
Luke 2:22–24
Two Young PigeonsAbout forty days after the birth, Mary and Joseph carry Jesus to the temple in Jerusalem to present him to the Lord. Their offering is the one the law allowed for poor families: two young birds.
Luke 2:25–27
Simeon WaitsIn Jerusalem lives a faithful man named Simeon, waiting for God to comfort his people. God has promised he will see the Messiah before he dies, and on the very day Mary and Joseph arrive, the Spirit leads him into the temple.
Luke 2:28–32
Simeon's SongIn the temple courts, Simeon takes the baby Jesus in his arms and praises God. He has seen God's salvation, a light for the nations and the glory of Israel, and now he can depart in peace.
Luke 2:33–35
A Sword Will PierceAfter his song of joy, Simeon blesses Mary and Joseph. Then he turns to Mary with a harder word: her son will be opposed, and a sword will pierce her own soul too.
Luke 2:36–38
Anna Never Left the TempleAnna, an elderly widow and prophet, has spent decades worshipping in the temple night and day. When she sees the baby Jesus, she thanks God and tells everyone who is waiting for Jerusalem's redemption.
Luke 2:39–40
Growing Up in NazarethWith everything the law required now done, Mary and Joseph take Jesus home to Nazareth in Galilee. There the child grows strong, full of wisdom, and God's grace is on him.
Matthew 2:1–2
Magi from the EastTravellers from the east, scholars who study the stars, arrive in Jerusalem with a startling question: where is the one born king of the Jews? They have seen his star and have come to worship him.
Matthew 2:3–6
Herod Was DisturbedWhen King Herod hears that foreign visitors are looking for a newborn king of the Jews, he is deeply troubled. He calls the chief priests and scholars of the law, and they point him to Micah's prophecy: the ruler will come from Bethlehem.
Matthew 2:7–8
A Secret MeetingHerod calls the magi to a secret meeting, finds out exactly when the star appeared, and sends them to Bethlehem. Find the child, he says, and report back, so that I can come and worship him too. But Herod is not telling the truth.
Matthew 2:9–10
The Star StoppedThe magi leave Herod's palace and set out for Bethlehem. The star they first saw in the east goes ahead of them and stops over the place where the child is, and they are overwhelmed with joy.
Matthew 2:11
Gold, Frankincense and MyrrhThe magi enter a house in Bethlehem, see the child with his mother Mary, and fall down to worship him. Then they open their treasure chests and offer gifts fit for a king: gold, frankincense and myrrh.
Matthew 2:12
Home by Another WayAfter worshipping Jesus, the magi are warned by God in a dream not to go back to Herod. So they leave for their own country by another road, and Herod's plan to use them fails.
Matthew 2:13–15
Flight by NightThe wise men have gone home. In the middle of the night an angel warns Joseph, and he wakes Mary, lifts the child, and leads the family away toward Egypt.
Matthew 2:16–18
The Cry in RamahWhen Herod realises the wise men have gone home without him, his fear turns to cruelty, and Bethlehem's mothers weep. Matthew hears in their grief the old words of Jeremiah about Rachel weeping for her children.
Matthew 2:19–21
Back from EgyptIn Egypt, Joseph waits for word from God. When King Herod dies, an angel comes again in a dream, and the family packs up and turns for home.
Matthew 2:22–23
A NazareneComing home from Egypt, Joseph learns that Herod's son Archelaus now rules Judea. Warned in a dream, he takes the family north to the small Galilean village of Nazareth.
Luke 2:41–50
Three Days SearchingAfter the Passover in Jerusalem, Mary and Joseph set off home and realise twelve-year-old Jesus is missing. Three anxious days later they find him in the temple, listening and asking questions.
Luke 2:51–52
Growing in Wisdom and StatureAfter the temple, Jesus goes home to Nazareth and lives quietly with his family. For years he grows up in a carpenter's home, in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and people.
John 1:1–14
The Word Became FleshJohn begins his Gospel not in Bethlehem but before time began. The Word who was with God, and was God, through whom everything was made, became flesh and lived among us.
John 1:4–9
The Light No Darkness Could OvercomeJohn writes that the life in the Word was the light of all people, a light that shines in the darkness. Another John, the Baptist, came to point to it. The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world.
Luke 3:23–38
Son of Adam, Son of GodWhen Jesus begins his work at about thirty, Luke pauses to trace his family line backwards, through David and Abraham, past Noah, all the way to Adam, the son of God.
Luke 3:1–6
In the Fifteenth Year of TiberiusLuke names the emperor, the governor, the rulers and the high priests, and then tells us that God's word came to John in the wilderness. The grown-up promise is about to step onto the stage of history.
Revelation 12:1–6
The Child and the DragonOn the island of Patmos, John sees a vision: a woman clothed with the sun, a child about to be born, and a great red dragon waiting to devour him. The child is caught up to God, and the woman is kept safe.
Galatians 4:4–7
When the Time Had Fully ComePaul writes an urgent letter to the churches of Galatia. In the middle of it he explains Christmas in one sentence: when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, so that we could be adopted as God's children.
Philippians 2:5–11
He Made Himself NothingWriting from prison to his friends in Philippi, Paul shares what may be one of the church's earliest songs: the one who was in the form of God came down, all the way down, to a servant's life and a cross, and God lifted him up.
Colossians 1:15–20
The Image of the Invisible GodPaul writes to a small church in Colossae that has never met him. He tells them who Jesus is: the image of the invisible God, the one through whom all things were made, in whom all the fullness of God was pleased to live.
John 3:16–21
God So Loved the WorldA respected teacher named Nicodemus comes to Jesus at night with questions. In their conversation comes the most famous sentence in the Bible: God so loved the world that he gave his only Son.
Titus 2:11–14; 3:4–7
Grace Has AppearedPaul writes to his friend Titus, who has been left to organise the young churches on the island of Crete. He reminds him of the day God's grace, kindness and love appeared, not because of anything we had done, but because of his mercy.
1 John 1:1–4
What We Have Seen and TouchedAn old eyewitness writes to the churches he loves. The Word of life was not an idea or a ghost: we heard him, we saw him with our own eyes, and we touched him with our own hands.
1 John 4:7–12
This Is LoveJohn writes to his dear children in the faith that love comes from God, because God is love. And if you want to see what love looks like, look at the Son God sent into the world.
2 Corinthians 8:9; 9:6–15
The Indescribable GiftPaul is collecting money for poor believers in Jerusalem, and he asks the wealthy church in Corinth to give generously. His reason is Christmas: though Christ was rich, he became poor for their sake.
Hebrews 1:1–6
Better Than the AngelsAn unnamed writer encourages tired believers. God spoke in many ways through the prophets, but now he has spoken through his Son, and when the Son came into the world, the angels were told to worship him.
Hebrews 2:14–18
Made Like UsThe writer to the Hebrews explains why the Son of God became flesh and blood: to break the power of death, to set free those held by fear, and to help us as one who has been tested too.
Luke 4:16–21
Today This Is FulfilledJesus comes home to Nazareth and stands up in the synagogue where he grew up. He reads Isaiah's promise of good news for the poor and freedom for captives, rolls up the scroll, and says: today this has come true.
John 8:12; 9:1–7
The Light of the WorldIn the temple courts, near the place where great lamps blazed at the Feast of Tabernacles, Jesus says, I am the light of the world. Soon after, he shows what he means by giving sight to a man born blind.
John 10:1–18
The Good ShepherdThe child whose birth was first announced to shepherds grows up to call himself the Good Shepherd: the one whose sheep know his voice, the door of the fold, the shepherd who lays down his life for the sheep.
John 6:30–51
Bread from HeavenThe day after feeding five thousand people, Jesus is asked for a sign like the manna in the wilderness. He tells the crowd that he himself is the true bread that came down from heaven. The child born in Bethlehem, the house of bread, is the bread of life.
John 14:25–27
Peace I Leave with YouOn the night before he dies, Jesus sits with his frightened friends. He promises them the Holy Spirit, and he gives them a parting gift: his own peace, not the kind the world gives.
John 12:1–8
Perfume Poured OutSix days before the Passover, at a dinner in Bethany, Mary pours a jar of costly perfume over Jesus' feet and wipes them with her hair. Judas complains about the waste, but Jesus defends her gift.
Mark 12:41–44
The Gift That Cost EverythingJesus sits near the temple offering chests and watches people give. Rich people put in large amounts. Then a poor widow drops in two tiny coins, and Jesus says she has given more than all of them.
Luke 8:16–18; Matthew 5:14–16
A Lamp on a StandNobody lights a lamp and then hides it under a bowl. On a Galilean hillside and by the lake, Jesus tells his followers that they are the light of the world, and that their light is meant to be seen.
Matthew 25:31–40
When Did We See You?In his last days in Jerusalem, Jesus describes the King coming in glory. The King says that whenever someone fed the hungry, welcomed the stranger or visited the sick and imprisoned among the least of his family, they did it for him.
Luke 19:1–10
Joy in the House of ZacchaeusZacchaeus, the richest and least liked man in Jericho, climbs a tree to catch a glimpse of Jesus. Jesus stops, calls him by name, and invites himself to dinner, and joy turns a greedy man generous.
Exodus 35:20–29; 36:3–7
The People Gave FreelyIn the desert at Sinai, Moses asks for gifts to build God's dwelling place. The people bring so much, gladly, that the craftsmen have to ask Moses to tell them to stop.
1 Chronicles 29:1–20
Everything Comes from YouOld King David cannot build the temple himself, but he gives everything he can for it. Then the people give too, and David prays a prayer that turns every gift around: everything we have came from you.
1 Kings 10:1–13
A Queen Brings GiftsThe queen of Sheba hears of Solomon's wisdom and travels a very long way with camels, spices and gold to test him. What she finds leaves her breathless, and she praises the God of Israel.
Nehemiah 8:9–18
Rejoice Before the LORDWhen Ezra reads God's law aloud, the people of Jerusalem weep. But Nehemiah tells them this is a holy day of joy: go, feast, share with those who have nothing. Then they build shelters of branches and celebrate as they have not done for centuries.
2 Kings 4:42–44
A Hundred FedIn a time of famine, a man brings twenty small barley loaves to the prophet Elisha. Elisha says: feed a hundred men with them. It seems impossible, but God says there will be some left over, and there is.
2 Kings 7:3–16
We Have Good NewsSamaria is starving under siege. Four outcasts with leprosy, sitting at the city gate, decide to try the enemy camp, and find it empty and full of food. Then they realise: this is a day of good news, and we cannot keep quiet.
Zechariah 4:1–10
Not by MightThe returned exiles are trying to rebuild God's temple, and it all looks small and hopeless. The prophet Zechariah sees a golden lampstand fed by two olive trees, and hears God say: not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit.
Zechariah 3:1–10
Clean ClothesIn a vision, Zechariah sees Joshua the high priest standing before God's angel in filthy clothes, while an accuser points at him. God rebukes the accuser, takes away the dirty clothes, dresses Joshua in clean ones, and promises a servant called the Branch.
Zechariah 6:9–15
The Man Called the BranchThree men arrive from Babylon with silver and gold. God tells Zechariah to make a crown from it and set it on the head of Joshua the high priest, as a sign of a coming man called the Branch, who would be both priest and king.
Daniel 3:19–28
A Fourth Man in the FireShadrach, Meshach and Abednego refuse to bow to a golden statue and are thrown into a blazing furnace. But when the king looks in, he sees four men walking free in the fire, and the three come out without even the smell of smoke.
Daniel 2:31–45
A Stone Not Cut by HandsKing Nebuchadnezzar dreams of a giant statue of gold, silver, bronze, iron and clay. Daniel tells him what it means: empires will rise and fall, but a stone not cut by human hands will smash them and grow into a mountain that fills the earth, God's kingdom that will never end.
Isaiah 1:16–20
White as SnowThrough the prophet Isaiah, God tells his people to stop doing evil and start doing good, and then invites them to come and talk it over: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be white as snow.
Isaiah 54:1–10
Sing, Barren WomanTo a people who feel abandoned like a woman with no children and a wife sent away, God says through Isaiah: sing! Make your tent bigger. The mountains may move, but my steadfast love will never move from you.
Ezekiel 34:11–24
David My Servant Will ShepherdThe prophet Ezekiel, in exile in Babylon, brings a message about bad shepherds who fed themselves instead of the flock. God says: I myself will search for my sheep, bring back the lost, bind up the injured, and set over them one shepherd, my servant David.
Hosea 11:1–4
Out of Egypt I Called My SonThrough the prophet Hosea, God remembers Israel as a little child he loved, called out of Egypt, taught to walk and lifted to his cheek. Matthew later heard these words echo in the journey of the child Jesus.
Jeremiah 31:15–17
Rachel WeepingJeremiah hears a mother weeping in Ramah for children who are gone. Then God answers her: stop your crying, wipe your tears, there is hope for your future, your children will come home.
Psalm 110; Matthew 22:41–46
The LORD Said to My LordIn the temple courts in his last week, Jesus asks the Pharisees a question about the Messiah: whose son is he? David's, they say. Then why does David, in Psalm 110, call him Lord? Nobody can answer.
Acts 2:29–39
The Promise Is for YouOn the day of Pentecost, Peter stands before a festival crowd in Jerusalem and explains that God kept his oath to David by raising Jesus, David's descendant, from the dead. Then he says: the promise is for you, your children, and all who are far off.
Acts 13:16–33
Paul Tells of David's SonIn a synagogue in Pisidian Antioch, the leaders invite Paul to speak. He stands up and walks his listeners through their own history, from Egypt to the wilderness to King David, and then tells them that God has brought a Saviour from David's family: Jesus.
Luke 24:25–27, 44–47
Beginning with MosesOn the road to Emmaus, and later in a room in Jerusalem, the risen Jesus opens the Scriptures to his disappointed followers, beginning with Moses and all the prophets, and shows them that everything written there was about him.
Mark 1:1–8
Prepare the WayMark's gospel skips the manger and begins with a voice in the wilderness. John the Baptist, dressed in camel hair, calls Israel to repent and points to someone far greater who is coming.
John 10:22–30
It Was WinterIt is winter in Jerusalem, during the Festival of Dedication, the feast of lights. Jesus walks in Solomon's Colonnade, and people surround him demanding a plain answer: are you the Messiah? He speaks of his sheep, who hear his voice, and whom no one can snatch from his hand.
John 19:25–27
Mary at the CrossAs Jesus is crucified, his mother Mary stands near the cross with other women and the disciple Jesus loved. Simeon's old words about a sword piercing her soul come true, and Jesus, even in his suffering, gives her a son to care for her.
Acts 1:12–14
Mary Among the BelieversAfter Jesus returns to heaven, his followers walk back to Jerusalem and gather in an upstairs room to pray. Among them is Mary, the mother of Jesus. It is the last time the Bible shows her: praying with the first believers.
Mark 13:32–37
Keep WatchOn the Mount of Olives, Jesus tells his closest friends that no one knows the day or hour of his return. Like a doorkeeper whose master has gone on a journey, they must stay awake and ready. Advent looks back to the first coming and forward to the second.
Luke 12:35–40
Ready with Lamps BurningJesus tells his followers to be like servants waiting up late for their master to return from a wedding, dressed and ready with lamps burning. When he comes and finds them awake, he does something no master ever did: he puts on an apron and serves them dinner.
Revelation 21:1–5
God Will Live with ThemOn the island of Patmos, John sees a vision of the end of the story: a new heaven and a new earth, a holy city, and a loud voice saying God's home is now with people. He will wipe away every tear, and make all things new.
Revelation 5:1–14
Worthy Is the LambIn John's vision of heaven, a scroll sealed with seven seals lies in God's hand, and no one is worthy to open it. John weeps, until an elder says: the Lion of Judah, the Root of David, has won. John turns, and sees a Lamb that had been slain, and all heaven sings.
Revelation 22:12–17
The Bright Morning StarIn the last chapter of the Bible, Jesus speaks: I am coming soon. I am the Alpha and the Omega. I am the root and the offspring of David, the bright and morning star. And the Spirit and the bride say: come. Whoever is thirsty, come and take the water of life freely.