Nurture

December 2025 Bible Readings

stjohnstmarkchurchburyThursday, November 27, 2025

Here are the December 2025 Bible readings, which we’ll be using in both of our churches in this time of Advent and Christmas.

The readings

We stick with Isaiah for Old Testament readings up to Christmas. Isaiah is sometimes called the ‘fifth Gospel’ because of the number of prophecies which the Church takes to be about Jesus.

Our Gospel readings start with Advent themes, with John the Baptist talking about repentance and then sending messages to Jesus from prison, who responds with quotes from Isaiah… Then we get Joseph receiving instructions from an angel of the Lord before that wonderful opening from the Gospel of John on Christmas Day. Finally, we have the holy family seeking refuge in Egypt to escape from Herod.

• Dec 7 – Advent 2: Isaiah 11:1-10; Romans 15:4-13; Matthew 3:1-12;
• Dec 14 – Advent 3: Isaiah 35:1-10; James 5:7-10; Matthew 11:2-11;
• Dec 21 – Advent 4: Isaiah 7:10-16; Romans 1:1-7; Matthew 1:18-25;
• Dec 25 – Christmas Day: Isaiah 52:7-10; Hebrews 1:1-4; John 1:1-14;
• Dec 28 – Holy Innocents: Jeremiah 31:15-17; 1 Corinthians 1:26-29; Matthew 2:13-18;

If you don’t have access to a Bible, then please go to the Vanderbilt Divinity Library by following this link. It’s not always the same but it’s usually very close.

The December 2025 Bible readings include this from Matthew 1:18-25…

The birth of Jesus the Messiah

Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. Her husband, Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, ‘Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.’ All this took place to fulfil what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet:

 ‘Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,
    and they shall name him Emmanuel’,

which means, ‘God is with us.’ When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife, but had no marital relations with her until she had borne a son; and he named him Jesus.

Thanks once again to Olivia Snow for the photo on Unsplash