What does Scripture say about the Incarnation?

¹ In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ² The same was in the beginning with God. ³ All things were made through him. Without him, nothing was made that has been made. ⁴ In him was life, and the life was the light of men. ⁵ The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness hasn’t overcome it. ⁶ There came a man sent from God, whose name was John. ⁷ The same came as a witness, that he might testify about the light, that all might believe through him. ⁸ He was not the light, but was sent that he might testify about the light. ⁹ The true light that enlightens everyone was coming into the world. ¹⁰ He was in the world, and the world was made through him, and the world didn’t recognize him. ¹¹ He came to his own, and those who were his own didn’t receive him. ¹² But as many as received him, to them he gave the right to become God’s children, to those who believe in his name: ¹³ who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. ¹⁴ The Word became flesh and lived among us. We saw his glory, such glory as of the only born Son of the Father, full of grace and truth.

⁶ who, existing in the form of God, didn’t consider equality with God a thing to be grasped, ⁷ but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men. ⁸ And being found in human form, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to the point of death, yes, the death of the cross.

⁴ But when the fullness of the time came, God sent out his Son, born to a woman, born under the law, ⁵ that he might redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as children.

¹⁶ Without controversy, the mystery of godliness is great: God was revealed in the flesh, justified in the spirit, seen by angels, preached among the nations, believed on in the world, and received up in glory.

⁹ For in him all the fullness of the Deity dwells bodily,

¹⁴ Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; behold, a virgin shall conceive in the womb, and shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Emmanuel.

¹⁸ Now the birth of Jesus Christ was like this: After his mother, Mary, was engaged to Joseph, before they came together, she was found pregnant by the Holy Spirit. ¹⁹ Joseph, her husband, being a righteous man, and not willing to make her a public example, intended to put her away secretly. ²⁰ But when he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, don’t be afraid to take to yourself Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. ²¹ She shall give birth to a son. You shall name him Jesus, for it is he who shall save his people from their sins.” ²² Now all this has happened that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, ²³ “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and shall give birth to a son. They shall call his name Immanuel,” which is, being interpreted, “God with us.” ²⁴ Joseph arose from his sleep, and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took his wife to himself; ²⁵ and didn’t know her sexually until she had given birth to her firstborn son. He named him Jesus.

²⁶ Now in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, ²⁷ to a virgin pledged to be married to a man whose name was Joseph, of David’s house. The virgin’s name was Mary. ²⁸ Having come in, the angel said to her, “Rejoice, you highly favored one! The Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women!” ²⁹ But when she saw him, she was greatly troubled at the saying, and considered what kind of salutation this might be. ³⁰ The angel said to her, “Don’t be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. ³¹ Behold, you will conceive in your womb and give birth to a son, and shall name him ‘Jesus.’ ³² 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, ³³ and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever. There will be no end to his Kingdom.” ³⁴ Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, seeing I am a virgin?” ³⁵ The angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore also the holy one who is born from you will be called the Son of God. ³⁶ Behold, Elizabeth your relative also has conceived a son in her old age; and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. ³⁷ For nothing spoken by God is impossible.” ³⁸ Mary said, “Behold, the servant of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.

² Therefore shall he appoint them [to wait] till the time of her that travails: she shall bring forth, and [then] the remnant of their brethren shall return to the children of Israel.

¹ Now in those days, a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be enrolled. ² This was the first enrollment made when Quirinius was governor of Syria. ³ All went to enroll themselves, everyone to his own city. ⁴ Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to David’s city, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, ⁵ to enroll himself with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him as wife, being pregnant. ⁶ While they were there, the day had come for her to give birth. ⁷ She gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him in bands of cloth and laid him in a feeding trough, because there was no room for them in the inn. ⁸ There were shepherds in the same country staying in the field, and keeping watch by night over their flock. ⁹ Behold, an angel of the Lord stood by them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. ¹⁰ The angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be to all the people. ¹¹ For there is born to you today, in David’s city, a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. ¹² This is the sign to you: you will find a baby wrapped in strips of cloth, lying in a feeding trough.” ¹³ Suddenly, there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly army praising God and saying, ¹⁴ “Glory to God in the highest, on earth peace, good will toward men.” ¹⁵ When the angels went away from them into the sky, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem, now, and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” ¹⁶ They came with haste and found both Mary and Joseph, and the baby was lying in the feeding trough. ¹⁷ When they saw it, they publicized widely the saying which was spoken to them about this child. ¹⁸ All who heard it wondered at the things which were spoken to them by the shepherds. ¹⁹ But Mary kept all these sayings, pondering them in her heart. ²⁰ The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, just as it was told them.

¹⁴ Since then the children have shared in flesh and blood, he also himself in the same way partook of the same, that through death he might bring to nothing him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, ¹⁵ and might deliver all of them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. ¹⁶ For most certainly, he doesn’t give help to angels, but he gives help to the offspring of Abraham. ¹⁷ Therefore he was obligated in all things to be made like his brothers, that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make atonement for the sins of the people. ¹⁸ For in that he himself has suffered being tempted, he is able to help those who are tempted.

¹⁵ For we don’t have a high priest who can’t be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but one who has been in all points tempted like we are, yet without sin.

⁵² And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.

³³ When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews weeping who came with her, he groaned in the spirit and was troubled, ³⁴ and said, “Where have you laid him?” They told him, “Lord, come and see.” ³⁵ Jesus wept.

² When he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was hungry afterward.

²⁸ After this, Jesus, seeing that all things were now finished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, “I am thirsty!”

² By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit who confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, ³ and every spirit who doesn’t confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God; and this is the spirit of the Antichrist, of whom you have heard that it comes. Now it is in the world already.

⁷ For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who don’t confess that Jesus Christ came in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the Antichrist.

¹ That which was from the beginning, that which we have heard, that which we have seen with our eyes, that which we saw, and our hands touched, concerning the Word of life ² (and the life was revealed, and we have seen, and testify, and declare to you the life, the eternal life, which was with the Father, and was revealed to us); ³ that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us. Yes, and our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.

³⁶ As they said these things, Jesus himself stood among them, and said to them, “Peace be to you.” ³⁷ But they were terrified and filled with fear, and supposed that they had seen a spirit. ³⁸ He said to them, “Why are you troubled? Why do doubts arise in your hearts? ³⁹ See my hands and my feet, that it is truly me. Touch me and see, for a spirit doesn’t have flesh and bones, as you see that I have.” ⁴⁰ When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. ⁴¹ While they still didn’t believe for joy, and wondered, he said to them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” ⁴² They gave him a piece of a broiled fish and some honeycomb. ⁴³ He took them, and ate in front of them.

³ For what the law couldn’t do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God did, sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, ⁴ that the ordinance of the law might be fulfilled in us who don’t walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.

⁹ For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that you through his poverty might become rich.

⁹ But we see him who has been made a little lower than the angels, Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that by the grace of God he should taste of death for everyone. ¹⁰ For it became him, for whom are all things and through whom are all things, in bringing many children to glory, to make the author of their salvation perfect through sufferings.

⁴ by which he has granted to us his precious and exceedingly great promises; that through these you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world by lust.

¹⁶ For God so loved the world, that he gave his only born Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life. ¹⁷ For God didn’t send his Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through him.