Advent Bible Reading Plan: Daily Readings from Nov 29 to Christmas Eve (2026)
An Advent Bible reading plan is a short daily schedule of Scripture for the weeks before Christmas. In 2026, Advent begins on Sunday, November 29 and ends on Thursday, December 24, so this plan has 26 readings that move from Old Testament promises to John the Baptist and the opening chapters of Luke, Matthew and John.
Each reading is short: 3 to 25 verses, 286 verses in all (John 1:6-8 comes up on both December 15 and December 24). You never need to catch up. If you find this page late, start with today's date.
If a longer plan has stalled before, Advent is a gentle season to begin again.
When Is Advent in 2026?
Most Western churches begin Advent on the fourth Sunday before Christmas and end it on Christmas Eve. In 2026 that is Sunday, November 29 to Thursday, December 24: 26 days.
Advent runs from 22 to 28 days, depending on the weekday of Christmas. Christmas 2026 falls on a Friday, so the fourth week has only five days. Many plans online, often called Christmas Bible reading plans, are fixed countdowns from December 1 to 24 or 25, but this one follows the real 2026 calendar.
The word advent comes from the Latin adventus, a "coming" or "arrival," as the BibleProject guide to Advent explains. Some traditions keep a longer, seven-week Advent, and Eastern Orthodox churches observe a 40-day Nativity Fast.
How This Advent Reading Plan Works
You read one passage a day, and most days stay under 15 verses. Like a thematic Bible reading plan, it follows one thread rather than whole books.
These Advent Scripture readings move in four stages: longing and promise, the call to prepare the way, good news announced, and God with us. Isaiah carries much of the first two weeks (see the overview of Isaiah). The Gospels begin in week 2 with Mark 1, and week 3 sets them beside the promise to David.
The Sundays and the Lectionary
The Sunday readings line up with the Revised Common Lectionary (RCL), Year B, which begins with Advent 2026. Isaiah 64:1-9, Isaiah 40:1-11 and Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11 are the first readings for the first three Sundays, and Luke 1:26-38 is the Gospel for the fourth.
If your church follows the RCL, you may hear the same passage that Sunday. Other lectionaries, such as the Catholic one, assign similar but not identical readings.
Many churches mark the Sundays with Advent themes, often hope, peace, joy and love, though the order and names vary by tradition. If your household lights an Advent wreath, the Sunday passage can be your Advent candle reading.
Any translation works. Quotations here come from the New Heart English Bible (NHEB), and the Bible translation comparison can help you choose a print Bible.
The 2026 Advent Bible Reading Plan, Day by Day
Each table lists the daily Advent readings. The context lines are plain reading notes, not Scripture.
Week 1: Longing and Promise (Sun Nov 29 to Sat Dec 5)
A prayer for God to come down, then early promises.
| Day | Date | Reading | Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sun Nov 29 | Isaiah 64:1-9 | A prayer over a ruined Jerusalem (verses 10 and 11). RCL first reading. |
| 2 | Mon Nov 30 | Genesis 3:1-15 | Trust breaks in the garden. Many Christian readers hear verse 15 as an early hint of a coming rescuer, a traditional reading but not the only one. |
| 3 | Tue Dec 1 | Genesis 12:1-7 | God calls Abram and promises a blessing for all the families of the earth. |
| 4 | Wed Dec 2 | Psalm 130 | A psalm of waiting, like watchmen waiting for morning. |
| 5 | Thu Dec 3 | Isaiah 11:1-10 | A shoot from the family of Jesse, David's father: a just king and a picture of peace. |
| 6 | Fri Dec 4 | Jeremiah 33:14-16 | Spoken while Jeremiah is confined (33:1): a "Branch of righteousness" (Jeremiah 33:15, NHEB) for David's line. |
| 7 | Sat Dec 5 | Psalm 85 | A prayer to be restored, where mercy and truth meet (verse 10). |
I wait for the Lord. My soul waits. I hope in his word. My soul longs for the Lord more than watchmen long for the morning; more than watchmen for the morning.
Psalm 130:5-6 (NHEB)
The psalmist prays from "the depths" (Psalm 130:1, NHEB) and still waits for morning, the mood of this first week.
Week 2: Prepare the Way (Sun Dec 6 to Sat Dec 12)
A voice calls, "Prepare the way of the Lord" (Isaiah 40:3, NHEB), and late in the week John the Baptist appears in Mark 1.
| Day | Date | Reading | Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | Sun Dec 6 | Isaiah 40:1-11 | Comfort for exiles and a highway for God in the desert. RCL first reading. |
| 9 | Mon Dec 7 | Isaiah 9:1-7 | Light for a land in gloom, and a child born to rule on David's throne. |
| 10 | Tue Dec 8 | Isaiah 7:10-16 | A sign for frightened King Ahaz as Syria and Israel threaten Jerusalem (7:1-2). Matthew 1:23 quotes verse 14. |
| 11 | Wed Dec 9 | Micah 5:2-5 | A ruler from small Bethlehem who will shepherd his people. |
| 12 | Thu Dec 10 | Malachi 3:1-4 | A promised messenger who will prepare the way. |
| 13 | Fri Dec 11 | Mark 1:1-8 | Words found in Malachi 3:1 and Isaiah 40:3 introduce John the Baptist. RCL Gospel for December 6. |
| 14 | Sat Dec 12 | Isaiah 52:7-10 | A messenger on the mountains brings good news of peace. |
Week 3: Good News Announced (Sun Dec 13 to Sat Dec 19)
Prophets and Gospels side by side, and the promise to David returns.
| Day | Date | Reading | Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 | Sun Dec 13 | Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11 | Good news for the brokenhearted. Jesus reads from it in Luke 4:16-21. RCL first reading. |
| 16 | Mon Dec 14 | Zephaniah 3:14-20 | A call to sing, because God rejoices over his people (verse 17). |
| 17 | Tue Dec 15 | John 1:6-8, 19-28 | John the Baptist says he is not the Messiah. RCL Gospel for December 13. |
| 18 | Wed Dec 16 | Matthew 1:1-17 | A family line from Abraham through David. |
| 19 | Thu Dec 17 | Luke 1:1-25 | Luke's orderly account begins, and an angel visits the priest Zechariah. |
| 20 | Fri Dec 18 | 2 Samuel 7:1-17 | Through Nathan, God promises David a house and a lasting throne. |
| 21 | Sat Dec 19 | Psalm 89:1-4, 19-26 | A song about God's covenant with David, an RCL psalm option for December 20. |
Week 4: God With Us (Sun Dec 20 to Thu Dec 24)
A five-day week, mostly in Luke 1. The overview of Luke gives background on the book.
| Day | Date | Reading | Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| 22 | Sun Dec 20 | Luke 1:26-38 | Gabriel visits Mary. Verses 32 and 33 echo the promise to David. RCL Gospel. |
| 23 | Mon Dec 21 | Luke 1:39-56 | Mary visits Elizabeth and sings the song often called the Magnificat. |
| 24 | Tue Dec 22 | Luke 1:57-80 | John is born, and Zechariah sings of a new dawn. |
| 25 | Wed Dec 23 | Matthew 1:18-25 | Joseph's dream, and Immanuel, "God with us" (Matthew 1:23, NHEB). |
| 26 | Thu Dec 24 | John 1:1-14 | Christmas Eve: the Word who was with God became flesh (verse 14). |
because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the dawn from on high will visit us, to shine on those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death; to guide our feet into the way of peace.
Luke 1:78-79 (NHEB)
Zechariah sings this after his son John is born and named (Luke 1:57-67). The dawn after a long night echoes the watchmen of Psalm 130.
A Simple Way to Read Each Day's Passage
Four steps work with any translation:
- Read it once without stopping.
- Ask who is speaking, to whom, and what is happening around them. The context line helps.
- Read one line again slowly, the one that stood out.
- Write one sentence or pray it back. This guide to praying Scripture shows how.
To slow down further, Scripture meditation offers a few gentle methods. None of this needs to be done perfectly.
If You Miss a Day or Start Late
Advent has a fixed end, so the kindest rule is simple: read today's date, not the backlog. The four Sundays are the anchors. If a week slips away, read that Sunday's passage and keep going.
A late start still works. Begin on December 10 and you will still reach Mark 1, John 1 and all of Luke 1 before Christmas.
If Saturday feels open, use it for one missed passage, but only if it feels like a gift and not a debt. For habits that last past December, see how to start a daily Bible reading habit and these tips for reading with consistency.
Your next reading matters more than the day you missed.
Reading the Plan With Family or a Friend
Read the Sunday passage, or a story day from Luke 1 or Matthew 1, aloud together. Let each person read the other days at their own pace.
Afterward, ask one question, such as "What did God promise here?" See also this guide to starting a family devotional.
After Christmas Eve: Keep the Rhythm Going in January
The plan stops on December 24 on purpose. Luke 2:1-20, the birth story itself, is the classic reading for Christmas Eve night or Christmas Day. You can read it on the Luke 2 chapter page.
Only Matthew and Luke tell the birth story. To read one Gospel in full next, see which Gospel to read first.
BibleMate has no Advent plan, but its free web reader suits January. The 14-Day Bible Introduction covers 33 selected chapters, 2 to 4 a day. The plan picker lists all eight plans, each with its own progress saved in your browser and no account.
For a full year, see this one year Bible reading plan guide. Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, February 10, 2027, and a Bible reading plan for Lent offers another short season.
Begin Again This Advent
Wherever the calendar finds you, today's reading is a good place to begin.
When you want a steady plan for the new year, BibleMate is on the App Store for iPhone and on Google Play for Android, free to download with optional in-app purchases. Prefer your browser? The free web reader needs no account.
Frequently Asked Questions
What readings are read during Advent?
Common choices are Isaiah's promises (chapters 7, 9, 11, 40 and 61), John the Baptist, and the announcements in Luke 1 and Matthew 1. For 2026, the RCL Year B first readings are Isaiah 64:1-9, Isaiah 40:1-11, Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11 and 2 Samuel 7:1-11, 16.
When does Advent start in 2026?
The first Sunday of Advent 2026 is November 29. Advent ends on Thursday, December 24, after 26 days.
What are the four themes of Advent?
Many churches use hope, peace, joy and love for the four Sundays. The order and the names vary by tradition.
How do I make my own Advent Bible reading plan?
Pick a start date and one thread, such as the prophets, Luke 1 and 2, or a Gospel chapter a day. Keep passages short and write the dates down. A thematic reading plan uses the same idea.
Is there a 25-day Advent reading plan?
Many printed plans, often called Christmas Bible reading plans, run 25 days, December 1 to 25. Advent 2026 has 26 days, so for a December 1 countdown, start at Day 3 (Tuesday, December 1) and read Luke 2:1-20 on Christmas Day.
