Bible stories for kids

The Christmas Story for Kids

The Christmas story, also called the nativity story, is the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem, told in Luke 1-2 and Matthew 1-2: the angel's visit to Mary, the baby in the manger, the shepherds and the wise men. Here it is for kids and children aged 3 to 12, to read aloud, hear narrated or see in the picture storybook, with the King James words beside every scene.

Ages 3 to 12About 9 minutes read aloudLuke 1-2 and Matthew 1-2

The storybook opens full screen, one page at a time. The whole story is also below, with the Bible text beside it.

By Sankalp Jonna · Last reviewed October 31, 2026

Where it is in the Bible

Bible passages: Luke 1:26-38 and 2:1-20, and Matthew 1:18-25 and 2:1-12
Who is in it: Mary, Joseph, the angel Gabriel, the shepherds, the wise men and King Herod
Where it happens: Nazareth, then Bethlehem in Judaea
When: In the days of Caesar Augustus, when Herod was king (Luke 2:1, Matthew 2:1)
Key verse: “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:11, KJV)

The story

This story is true. It is in the Bible, in the books of Luke and Matthew.

Have you ever been scared of something new? A dark room, a new place, a big surprise? In this story, God sends messengers to people who are scared. And every time, the messenger says the same two words. Listen for them.

Scene 1 of 6

A visitor for Mary

Mary in a small stone house in Nazareth, morning light through a doorway, the angel Gabriel as a tall figure of soft light

In a small town called Nazareth, there lived a young woman named Mary. Mary was promised in marriage to a man named Joseph. Joseph came from the family of King David, the great king who had lived long, long ago.

One day, God sent the angel Gabriel to Mary. Gabriel told her that the Lord was with her.

Mary was troubled. What could a greeting like that mean? Then Gabriel said:

“Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.”

Favour means God had been kind to Mary and had chosen her. Gabriel told her she would have a baby boy, and she would call his name Jesus. He would be called the Son of God. And his kingdom would never end.

Mary asked how this could be. Gabriel said God's Holy Spirit would make it happen, and then he said:

“For with God nothing shall be impossible.”

Mary said yes. She was the Lord's servant, she said, and she wanted it to happen just as God had said.

Luke 1:26-38King James VersionBerean Standard Bible

²⁶King James Version: And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,Berean Standard Bible: In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to a town in Galilee called Nazareth,
²⁷King James Version: To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary.Berean Standard Bible: to a virgin pledged in marriage to a man named Joseph, who was of the house of David. And the virgin's name was Mary.
²⁸King James Version: And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.Berean Standard Bible: The angel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”
²⁹King James Version: And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be.Berean Standard Bible: Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be.
³⁰King James Version: And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.Berean Standard Bible: So the angel told her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.
³¹King James Version: And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.Berean Standard Bible: Behold, you will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus.
³²King James Version: He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:Berean Standard Bible: He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David,
³³King James Version: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.Berean Standard Bible: and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever. His kingdom will never end!”
³⁴King James Version: Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?Berean Standard Bible: “How can this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”
³⁵King James Version: And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.Berean Standard Bible: The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the Holy One to be born will be called the Son of God.
³⁶King James Version: And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren.Berean Standard Bible: Look, even Elizabeth your relative has conceived a son in her old age, and she who was called barren is in her sixth month.
³⁷King James Version: For with God nothing shall be impossible.Berean Standard Bible: For no word from God will ever fail.”
³⁸King James Version: And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.Berean Standard Bible: “I am the Lord's servant,” Mary answered. “May it happen to me according to your word.” Then the angel left her.

Scene 2 of 6

A dream for Joseph

Joseph asleep on a simple mat at night, an oil lamp burning low, a soft glow above him

Soon Joseph found out that Mary was going to have a baby, and he knew the baby was not his. Joseph was a good man. He did not want to shame Mary, so he decided to quietly call off the wedding.

But while Joseph was thinking about all this, an angel came to him in a dream. And the angel said the same two words:

“Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife”

The baby was from God, the angel said. Joseph should call him Jesus, because he would save his people from their sins. A prophet had said long before that this baby would be called Emmanuel, which means God with us.

When Joseph woke up, he did just what the angel said. He took Mary home to be his wife.

Matthew 1:18-25King James VersionBerean Standard Bible

¹⁸King James Version: Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.Berean Standard Bible: This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged in marriage to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit.
¹⁹King James Version: Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily.Berean Standard Bible: Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and was unwilling to disgrace her publicly, he resolved to divorce her quietly.
²⁰King James Version: But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.Berean Standard Bible: But after he had pondered these things, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to embrace Mary as your wife, for the One conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.
²¹King James Version: And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.Berean Standard Bible: She will give birth to a Son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins.”
²²King James Version: Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying,Berean Standard Bible: All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet:
²³King James Version: Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.Berean Standard Bible: “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”).
²⁴King James Version: Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife:Berean Standard Bible: When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and embraced Mary as his wife.
²⁵King James Version: And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.Berean Standard Bible: But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a Son. And he gave Him the name Jesus.

Scene 3 of 6

No room

Bethlehem at dusk, crowded with travelling families; Mary holding the newborn Jesus wrapped in cloth beside a stone feeding trough

Then the emperor, Caesar Augustus, made a rule: everyone had to go to their family's home town to be counted. Joseph's family came from Bethlehem, the town of King David.

So Joseph and Mary made the long trip from Nazareth to Bethlehem, though Mary's baby was almost ready to be born.

While they were in Bethlehem, the time came. This is how the Bible tells it:

“And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.”

Swaddling clothes are strips of cloth, wrapped snug around a newborn baby to keep him warm. A manger is a box that animals eat from. That was the very first bed for the Son of God.

Luke 2:1-7King James VersionBerean Standard Bible

¹King James Version: And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed.Berean Standard Bible: Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that a census should be taken of the whole empire.
²King James Version: (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)Berean Standard Bible: This was the first census to take place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.
³King James Version: And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.Berean Standard Bible: And everyone went to his own town to register.
⁴King James Version: And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)Berean Standard Bible: So Joseph also went up from Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, since he was from the house and line of David.
⁵King James Version: To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.Berean Standard Bible: He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to him in marriage and was expecting a child.
⁶King James Version: And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.Berean Standard Bible: While they were there, the time came for her Child to be born.
⁷King James Version: And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.Berean Standard Bible: And she gave birth to her firstborn, a Son. She wrapped Him in swaddling cloths and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

Scene 4 of 6

Shepherds in the night

Shepherds and their sheep on a dark hillside, the whole sky filling with light; faces calm and amazed, not frightened

Not far from Bethlehem, out in the fields, it was dark and quiet. Shepherds were awake, keeping watch over their sheep through the night.

Suddenly, an angel of the Lord was there. The glory of the Lord shone all around them, bright in the dark field. And the shepherds were very, very afraid.

Can you guess what the angel said first?

“Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.”

Good tidings means good news. And the news was this: that very day, in Bethlehem, a Saviour had been born, Christ the Lord. They would know him, the angel said, because they would find a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

Then, all at once, the sky was full of angels, more than anyone could count, praising God and saying:

“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.”

Luke 2:8-14King James VersionBerean Standard Bible

⁸King James Version: And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.Berean Standard Bible: And there were shepherds residing in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks by night.
⁹King James Version: And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.Berean Standard Bible: Just then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.
¹⁰King James Version: And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.Berean Standard Bible: But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid! For behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people:
¹¹King James Version: For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.Berean Standard Bible: Today in the city of David a Savior has been born to you. He is Christ the Lord!
¹²King James Version: And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.Berean Standard Bible: And this will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.”
¹³King James Version: And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,Berean Standard Bible: And suddenly there appeared with the angel a great multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying:
¹⁴King James Version: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.Berean Standard Bible: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom His favor rests!”

Scene 5 of 6

Hurry to Bethlehem

Shepherds arriving out of breath at the place where Mary, Joseph and the baby are resting; Mary looking down at Jesus

When the angels had gone back into heaven, the shepherds said to one another that they must go to Bethlehem and see this thing for themselves.

And they hurried. They found Mary, and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger, just as the angel had said.

The shepherds told everyone what they had heard about this child. And everyone who heard it was amazed.

But Mary was quiet.

“But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.”

To ponder means to think about something slowly, again and again, the way you might hold a treasure in your hands. Then the shepherds went back to their sheep, praising God for everything they had heard and seen.

Luke 2:15-20King James VersionBerean Standard Bible

¹⁵King James Version: And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.Berean Standard Bible: When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.”
¹⁶King James Version: And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.Berean Standard Bible: So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph and the Baby, who was lying in the manger.
¹⁷King James Version: And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.Berean Standard Bible: After they had seen the Child, they spread the message they had received about Him.
¹⁸King James Version: And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.Berean Standard Bible: And all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.
¹⁹King James Version: But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.Berean Standard Bible: But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.
²⁰King James Version: And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.Berean Standard Bible: The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, which was just as the angel had told them.

Scene 6 of 6

Follow the star

Travellers from the east crossing open country at night under one bright star; later, kneeling inside a simple house before the young child and Mary

The book of Matthew tells us what happened some time later.

Far away in the east, wise men saw a star. They believed it was the star of a newborn King of the Jews, and they travelled all the way to Jerusalem to worship him.

King Herod heard about this, and he was troubled. The old scriptures said the new ruler would come from Bethlehem. So Herod sent the wise men there. He told them to come back and tell him where the child was, so he could worship him too. But that was not what Herod really meant.

The wise men set off, and the star went ahead of them until it stopped right over the place where the young child was. When they saw it, they were filled with joy, more joy than they could hold.

They went into the house and saw the young child with Mary his mother. They fell down and worshipped him. Then they opened their treasures and gave him gifts: gold, and frankincense, and myrrh. Frankincense and myrrh are sweet-smelling treasures.

The Bible doesn't tell us how many wise men there were. It tells us there were three kinds of gifts.

Then God warned the wise men in a dream not to go back to Herod. So they went home another way.

Matthew 2:1-12King James VersionBerean Standard Bible

¹King James Version: Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,Berean Standard Bible: After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem,
²King James Version: Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.Berean Standard Bible: asking, “Where is the One who has been born King of the Jews? We saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.”
³King James Version: When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.Berean Standard Bible: When King Herod heard this, he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him.
⁴King James Version: And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born.Berean Standard Bible: And when he had assembled all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he asked them where the Christ was to be born.
⁵King James Version: And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet,Berean Standard Bible: “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:
⁶King James Version: And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.Berean Standard Bible: ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah, for out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of My people Israel.'”
⁷King James Version: Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared.Berean Standard Bible: Then Herod called the Magi secretly and learned from them the exact time the star had appeared.
⁸King James Version: And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.Berean Standard Bible: And sending them to Bethlehem, he said: “Go and search carefully for the Child, and when you find Him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship Him.”
⁹King James Version: When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.Berean Standard Bible: After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stood over the place where the Child was.
¹⁰King James Version: When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.Berean Standard Bible: When they saw the star, they rejoiced with great delight.
¹¹King James Version: And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.Berean Standard Bible: On coming to the house, they saw the Child with His mother Mary, and they fell down and worshiped Him. Then they opened their treasures and presented Him with gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh.
¹²King James Version: And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.Berean Standard Bible: And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they withdrew to their country by another route.

Do you remember the two words? Fear not.

The angel said them to Mary. The angel said them to Joseph. The angel said them to the shepherds, in the dark field.

Because the news was good. Good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

To the shepherds, close by. To the wise men, from far away. And to you.

Fear not.

How to tell the Christmas story to a young child

Keep to what Luke and Matthew say: an angel's message to Mary, a baby born in Bethlehem and laid in a manger, shepherds who hurried to see him, and wise men who came later with gifts. Let the angels' words "Fear not" (Luke 1:30, Luke 2:10) be the thread that a small child can say along, and leave out the innkeeper and the donkey, which the Bible never mentions.

What this story shows about God

For grown-ups. The story itself never states a lesson, so here it is, with the verses behind it.

God keeps his promises

Long before Jesus was born, a prophet promised a child called Emmanuel. Matthew tells us the Christmas story happened so that promise would come true.

Matthew 1:22-23

God came close to ordinary people

The first people to hear the news were shepherds working through the night, and the King's first bed was a manger. The good news was for all people.

Luke 2:7-10

Nothing is impossible with God

When Mary asked how this could happen, the angel's answer was simple: with God, nothing shall be impossible.

Luke 1:37

Questions to ask after

Pick the ones that fit your child. There are no wrong answers.

Ages 3 to 5

What two words did the angels keep saying?
Where did baby Jesus sleep on his very first night?
Who came to see Jesus first: the shepherds or the wise men?

Ages 6 to 9

Why do you think the angels kept saying "fear not"?
Mary pondered everything in her heart. What is something you like to think about again and again?
The shepherds hurried and the wise men travelled a long way. Why did they all want to see Jesus?

Ages 10 to 12

The Son of God's first bed was a feeding box. Why do you think God chose to do it that way?
King Herod and the wise men both heard about the new king. How were their answers different?
The angel said the good news was "to all people". Who does that include?

If your child asks

Honest answers to the hard questions, with the verses behind them.

Was Jesus born on December 25th?

The Bible doesn't give the date of Jesus' birth. Luke 2:11 says only that he was born "in the city of David", which is Bethlehem. Christians later chose a day to celebrate: most on December 25th, and some churches on January 7th.

Luke 2:11

How could Mary have a baby without a daddy?

In the Christmas story, Mary asks the angel Gabriel this very question (Luke 1:34). Gabriel answers that the Holy Spirit would make it happen, "for with God nothing shall be impossible" (Luke 1:37). It is a miracle: something only God can do.

Luke 1:34-37

Was there an innkeeper in the Christmas story?

No. Luke 2:7 says only that there was "no room for them in the inn". The Bible never mentions an innkeeper, and it doesn't say anyone was unkind to Mary and Joseph. Bethlehem was full of families who had come to be counted (Luke 2:1-5).

Luke 2:1-7

Were there three wise men? Were they kings?

The Bible doesn't say there were three wise men, and it doesn't call them kings. Matthew 2:11 says wise men from the east brought three kinds of gifts: gold, frankincense and myrrh. They found "the young child" in a house, some time after the shepherds' visit.

Matthew 2:1-11

What did King Herod do after the wise men left?

For grown-ups: Matthew 2:13-18 tells that King Herod tried to kill the child. God warned Joseph in a dream, and the family escaped to Egypt. Herod then ordered the killing of the young boys of Bethlehem. We left this out of our Christmas story. If your child asks, you might say: King Herod did a very wicked thing, but God kept Jesus safe, and nobody could stop God's plan.

Matthew 2:13-18

What we added and left out

Every quoted line in this story is the King James Bible, word for word.

What we added

Short explanations of old words: favour, swaddling clothes, manger, tidings, ponder, frankincense and myrrh.
Three questions from the narrator to your child, and the "listen for the two words" frame. The two words, fear not, are said by God's messengers in Luke 1:30, Matthew 1:20 and Luke 2:10.

What we left out

Mary's visit to her relative Elisabeth, and the birth of John the Baptist (Luke 1:36-80).
The full prophecy about Bethlehem (Matthew 2:5-6).
Jesus presented at the temple, and Simeon and Anna (Luke 2:21-38).
Herod's plan, the escape to Egypt, and the killing of the boys of Bethlehem (Matthew 2:13-23).

Not in the Bible, so not in our story

Luke and Matthew never mention an innkeeper, a donkey, a stable, an ox and an ass, or three kings at the manger, so none of them are in our Christmas story. Luke and Matthew each tell part of the story; we tell the events in the order they happened, and say where Matthew picks up.

Words from the story

Old Bible words your child might ask about.

Favour: God's kindness. To find favour with God means God has chosen to be kind to you.
Swaddling clothes: Strips of cloth wrapped snug around a newborn baby.
Manger: A box or trough that animals eat from.
Tidings: News.
Saviour: Someone who rescues. The angel said Jesus was born to be the Saviour.
Christ: The promised King God had said He would send. Christ means the anointed one.
Emmanuel: A name that means God with us.
Ponder: To think about something slowly, again and again.
Wise men: Men from the east who studied the stars. Matthew doesn't say how many there were.
Frankincense and myrrh: Precious, sweet-smelling treasures made from the sap of trees.

Sources and how we made this story

References

Luke 1:26-38: King James Version and Berean Standard Bible
Matthew 1:18-25: King James Version and Berean Standard Bible
Luke 2:1-7: King James Version and Berean Standard Bible
Luke 2:8-14: King James Version and Berean Standard Bible
Luke 2:15-20: King James Version and Berean Standard Bible
Matthew 2:1-12: King James Version and Berean Standard Bible
King James Version (1769 Oxford text), public domain. Berean Standard Bible, public domain since 2023 (berean.bible).
Background: Nativity of Jesus on Wikipedia.

How we made this story

The retelling. Written by Tinykiwi with AI assistance, following how we tell these stories, then checked line by line against the Bible text. Every quoted line is the King James Version, word for word. What we explained, added and left out is listed above.
The pictures and narration. The illustrations are AI-generated and chosen by hand. The narration is an AI voice recorded ahead of time, and every recording is checked word for word against the text.
These stories are part of Tinykiwi, an audio Bible App for Kids we are building. For apps you can use today, see our guide to the best Bible story apps for kids.