An Advent Bible Reading Plan for 2026

Advent is the season of waiting before Christmas. For centuries, Christians have used these weeks to slow down, remember how long God's people waited for the Messiah, and prepare their hearts to celebrate his coming.

A simple reading plan is one of the easiest ways to keep Advent. You don't need a special book or a lot of time. Just a Bible, a few quiet minutes, and this list.

When is Advent 2026?

Advent starts on the fourth Sunday before Christmas Day. Christmas Day 2026 falls on a Friday, so Advent Sunday is 29 November 2026. The four Sundays of Advent are:

• First Sunday: 29 November
• Second Sunday: 6 December
• Third Sunday: 13 December
• Fourth Sunday: 20 December

Advent runs until Christmas Eve, Thursday 24 December. Because Christmas falls late in the week this year, the fourth week is short: just five days.

Churches keep this season in different ways. Many Western churches follow the four Sundays above. Some Orthodox Christians keep a longer Nativity Fast that begins in mid-November. This plan follows the four Sundays.

The four themes: hope, peace, joy and love

Many churches give each week of Advent a theme, often linked to the candles on an Advent wreath. Hope, peace, joy and love is one of the most common patterns, and it's the one we've used here.

It's a tradition, not a rule. Some churches name the candles after the prophets, Bethlehem, the shepherds and the angels. Others don't use themes at all. Use whatever fits your church and your household.

The reading plan

Week 1: Hope (29 November to 5 December)

• Sunday 29 November: Isaiah 9:2-7, a light for people walking in darkness
• Monday 30 November: Isaiah 40:1-11, comfort for God's people
• Tuesday 1 December: Jeremiah 33:14-16, the promise of a righteous Branch
• Wednesday 2 December: Isaiah 11:1-10, a shoot from the stump of Jesse
• Thursday 3 December: Lamentations 3:21-26, hope while we wait
• Friday 4 December: Romans 15:4-13, the God of hope
• Saturday 5 December: Psalm 130, waiting for the Lord

Week 2: Peace (6 to 12 December)

• Sunday 6 December: Isaiah 2:1-5, swords beaten into ploughshares
• Monday 7 December: Micah 5:2-5, a ruler from Bethlehem who will be our peace
• Tuesday 8 December: Luke 1:5-25, an angel visits Zechariah
• Wednesday 9 December: Luke 1:67-79, Zechariah's song
• Thursday 10 December: Isaiah 26:3-4, perfect peace for a steadfast mind
• Friday 11 December: John 14:25-27, the peace Jesus gives
• Saturday 12 December: Psalm 85:8-13, righteousness and peace meet

Week 3: Joy (13 to 19 December)

• Sunday 13 December: Isaiah 35:1-10, the desert bursts into bloom
• Monday 14 December: Zephaniah 3:14-20, God rejoices over his people
• Tuesday 15 December: Luke 1:26-38, the angel Gabriel visits Mary
• Wednesday 16 December: Luke 1:39-45, Mary visits Elizabeth
• Thursday 17 December: Luke 1:46-56, Mary's song
• Friday 18 December: Philippians 4:4-7, rejoice in the Lord always
• Saturday 19 December: Psalm 126, songs of joy

Week 4: Love (20 to 24 December)

• Sunday 20 December: Matthew 1:18-25, Joseph and the name Immanuel
• Monday 21 December: 1 John 4:9-16, God is love
• Tuesday 22 December: John 3:16-21, God so loved the world
• Wednesday 23 December: John 1:1-14, the Word became flesh
• Thursday 24 December (Christmas Eve): Luke 2:1-7, the birth of Jesus

On Christmas Day, finish with Luke 2:8-20, the shepherds and the angels, and celebrate.

How to use the plan

Keep it simple. A few minutes each day is enough.

• Read slowly. These are short passages on purpose. Read once to hear the story, then again more slowly.
• Carry one line. Pick one phrase that stands out and take it into your day.
• Ask three questions. What does this show me about God? What were people waiting or longing for? What do I want to say to God in response?
• Don't try to catch up. If you miss a day or three, just read today's passage. Advent is about waiting well, not keeping score.

If you'd like help making a daily habit stick beyond December, our post on building a daily devotional habit has some practical ideas.

Using it as a family

Advent readings work well around the table, at breakfast, or at bedtime.

• Light a candle. If you have an Advent wreath, light the candles for the week as you read. Children love being the one to light it, or to blow it out.
• Take turns reading. Older children can read a passage aloud. The stories in Luke and Matthew are especially easy to follow.
• Ask one question. For younger children, one question is plenty: "Who was waiting in this story?" or "How do you think Mary felt?"
• Keep it short. Ten minutes is better than half an hour that ends in tears. Some evenings the reading and a one-line prayer is all you'll manage, and that's fine.

You don't need to explain everything. Let the story do its work.

North Star's Advent plan

If you'd like a guided version in your pocket, North Star includes an Advent reading plan. It runs for 25 days, from 1 December to Christmas Day, with one passage each day. It moves from Isaiah's promises of a coming Saviour, through the Christmas story in Luke and Matthew, to the opening of John's Gospel, and ends with the birth of Jesus in Luke 2 on Christmas Day.

The app plan follows the calendar days of December rather than the church season, so it starts a couple of days after Advent Sunday this year. You could use this list from 29 November, the app plan from 1 December, or whichever suits you. North Star also has a separate Easter plan for later in the year.

For more Scripture to sit with this season, see our collections of Bible verses about hope and Bible verses about peace.

Questions

When does Advent start in 2026?

Advent 2026 starts on Sunday 29 November. It is always the fourth Sunday before Christmas Day, which this year falls on a Friday.

How long is Advent in 2026?

Advent 2026 lasts 26 days, from Sunday 29 November to Thursday 24 December. Its length changes each year, depending on which day of the week Christmas falls.

What are the four themes of Advent?

A common pattern is hope, peace, joy and love, one for each week and each candle on the Advent wreath. But traditions vary. Some churches use different themes, and some use none.