Bible Trivia
Christmas Bible Trivia: 55 Questions on the Birth of Jesus
This Christmas Bible trivia list has 55 questions and answers drawn from the two nativity accounts in Scripture, Matthew 1-2 and Luke 1-2, along with the Old Testament prophecies those chapters cite. Every answer includes a verse reference. A separate section covers details of the Christmas story that come from tradition rather than the Bible, such as the number of wise men and the innkeeper.
Tap "Show answer" to reveal each answer. The questions follow the order of events in the text.
Where the Christmas Story Is Found
Only two books describe the birth of Jesus. Matthew tells the account largely from Joseph's side: the angel's message to Joseph, the visit of the Magi, and the escape to Egypt (Matthew 1:18-2:23). Luke tells it largely from Mary's side: the announcements to Zechariah and Mary, the birth in Bethlehem, the shepherds, and the presentation at the temple (Luke 1:5-2:40).
Mark begins with the adult ministry of John the Baptist (Mark 1:1-4), and John opens with the eternal Word who took on human nature and lived among us (John 1:1, 14). For background on the two Gospel writers, see who was Matthew in the Bible and who was Luke in the Bible.
Christmas Bible Trivia: Before the Birth (Luke 1)
Who was the priest, the husband of Elizabeth, who saw an angel while serving in the temple?
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Zechariah. He was burning incense in the temple when the angel appeared. (Luke 1:5, 8-11)
What was the name of the angel who spoke to Zechariah?
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Gabriel. He said he stood in the presence of God. (Luke 1:19)
What happened to Zechariah because he did not believe the angel's message?
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He was unable to speak until the promised child was born. (Luke 1:20, 64)
What name did the angel say Zechariah and Elizabeth's son should have?
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John. (Luke 1:13)
The angel said John would go before the Lord in the spirit and power of which prophet?
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Elijah. (Luke 1:17)
In what town did Mary live when the angel Gabriel visited her?
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Nazareth, a town in Galilee. (Luke 1:26-27)
To whom was Mary pledged to be married?
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Joseph, a descendant of David. (Luke 1:27)
What name did Gabriel tell Mary to give her son?
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Jesus. (Luke 1:31)
Whose throne did Gabriel say the Lord God would give to Mary's son?
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The throne of His father David. Gabriel said His kingdom would never end. (Luke 1:32-33)
Which relative of Mary was already six months pregnant when Gabriel visited Mary?
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Elizabeth. (Luke 1:36)
What did Elizabeth's unborn baby do when Mary greeted her?
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He leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. (Luke 1:41)
About how long did Mary stay with Elizabeth?
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About three months. (Luke 1:56)
How did Zechariah confirm the baby's name when relatives wanted to name him after his father?
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He asked for a writing tablet and wrote that the child's name was John. Then he was able to speak again. (Luke 1:59-64)
Joseph and the Angel (Matthew 1)
With whose name does Matthew's genealogy of Jesus begin?
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Abraham. Matthew calls Jesus the son of David, the son of Abraham. (Matthew 1:1-2)
How many generations does Matthew list in each of his three groups?
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Fourteen: from Abraham to David, from David to the exile, and from the exile to the Messiah. (Matthew 1:17)
Name one of the women besides Mary listed in Matthew's genealogy.
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Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, or Uriah's wife (Bathsheba). (Matthew 1:3, 5, 6)
What did Joseph plan to do when he learned Mary was pregnant?
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Divorce her quietly. He was a righteous man and did not want to shame her in public. (Matthew 1:19)
How did the angel of the Lord speak to Joseph?
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In a dream. (Matthew 1:20)
Why did the angel say the child was to be named Jesus?
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Because He would save His people from their sins. (Matthew 1:21)
What name from Isaiah does Matthew say the child would be called, and what does it mean?
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Immanuel, which means "God with us." (Matthew 1:23; Isaiah 7:14)
Matthew connects the angel's message to Joseph with a prophecy from Isaiah. The NIV reads:
"The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel" (which means "God with us"). (Matthew 1:23)
The Birth in Bethlehem (Luke 2)
Which Roman emperor ordered the census that sent Joseph to Bethlehem?
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Caesar Augustus. (Luke 2:1)
Who was governor of Syria during that first census?
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Quirinius. (Luke 2:2)
Why did Joseph go to Bethlehem instead of staying in Nazareth?
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He belonged to the house and line of David, and Bethlehem was the town of David. (Luke 2:4)
What did Mary wrap the newborn Jesus in?
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Cloths. (Luke 2:7)
Where did Mary place Jesus after He was born?
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In a manger, because there was no guest room available for them. (Luke 2:7)
What were the shepherds doing when the angel appeared to them?
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Staying out in the fields near Bethlehem and guarding their sheep during the night. (Luke 2:8)
What sign did the angel give the shepherds so they could find the baby?
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A baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger. (Luke 2:12)
What three titles did the angel use for the newborn child?
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Savior, Messiah, and Lord. (Luke 2:11)
Who joined the angel to praise God after the announcement to the shepherds?
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A great company of the heavenly host. (Luke 2:13-14)
What did the shepherds do after they saw the baby?
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They spread the word about what they had been told, then returned glorifying and praising God. (Luke 2:17, 20)
How did Mary respond to all these events?
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She kept these things in mind and thought about them deeply. (Luke 2:19)
On what day was Jesus circumcised and given His name?
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On the eighth day. (Luke 2:21)
What offering did Joseph and Mary bring when they presented Jesus at the temple?
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A pair of doves or two young pigeons, as the law allowed. (Luke 2:22-24; Leviticus 12:8)
Which righteous man in Jerusalem had been told he would not die before he saw the Lord's Messiah?
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Simeon. He took Jesus in his arms and praised God. (Luke 2:25-28)
Which elderly prophetess from the tribe of Asher thanked God and spoke about the child at the temple?
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Anna, the daughter of Penuel. (Luke 2:36-38)
The Magi and King Herod (Matthew 2)
Who was king of Judea when Jesus was born?
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Herod. (Matthew 2:1)
From what direction did the Magi come?
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From the east. (Matthew 2:1)
What did the Magi ask when they arrived in Jerusalem?
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They asked where the newborn king of the Jews was. They said they had seen His star and had come to worship Him. (Matthew 2:2)
How did Herod and all Jerusalem react to the Magi's question?
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They were disturbed. (Matthew 2:3)
Whom did Herod ask where the Messiah was to be born?
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The chief priests and teachers of the law. (Matthew 2:4)
What did Herod tell the Magi he wanted to do once they found the child?
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Come and worship Him. In reality, he later tried to kill the child. (Matthew 2:8, 16)
Where did the star stop?
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Over the place where the child was. The Magi then entered a house. (Matthew 2:9-11)
What three gifts did the Magi present?
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Gold, frankincense, and myrrh. (Matthew 2:11)
Why did the Magi go home by another route?
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They were warned in a dream not to go back to Herod. (Matthew 2:12)
Where did the angel tell Joseph to take Mary and the child?
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To Egypt. (Matthew 2:13-14)
What age of boys did Herod order to be killed in and around Bethlehem?
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Boys two years old and under, based on the time he had learned from the Magi. (Matthew 2:16)
To what town did Joseph take his family after they returned from Egypt?
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Nazareth, in Galilee. He was afraid to go to Judea because Herod's son Archelaus ruled there. (Matthew 2:22-23)
The Magi's question in Jerusalem, in the NIV:
"Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him." (Matthew 2:2)
Prophecies Fulfilled at Christmas
Matthew in particular points to Old Testament passages that the events of Jesus's birth fulfilled. For more on Isaiah, whose prophecy Matthew cites in chapter 1, see who was Isaiah in the Bible.
Which prophet foretold that the Messiah would come from Bethlehem?
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Micah. The chief priests quoted him to Herod. (Micah 5:2; Matthew 2:5-6)
Which prophet foretold that a virgin would conceive and give birth to a son called Immanuel?
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Isaiah. (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:22-23)
Which prophet wrote, "Out of Egypt I called my son," a line Matthew applies to Jesus's return from Egypt?
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Hosea. (Hosea 11:1; Matthew 2:15)
Which prophet described Rachel weeping for her children, a passage Matthew links to Herod's killing of the boys in Bethlehem?
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Jeremiah. (Jeremiah 31:15; Matthew 2:17-18)
Which prophet foretold a messenger who would prepare the way, a role fulfilled by John the Baptist?
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Malachi. Isaiah also foretold a voice calling in the wilderness. (Malachi 3:1; Isaiah 40:3; Mark 1:2-4)
Isaiah also gave titles for the coming child. The NIV reads:
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6)
Christmas Tradition vs. What the Bible Says
Many details in Christmas pageants and nativity scenes do not come from the biblical text. Some are reasonable inferences, and some are later tradition. Here is what the text says.
| Popular tradition | What the Bible says |
|---|---|
| There were three wise men. | Matthew does not give a number. He lists three gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh (Matthew 2:11). The number three is tradition, likely drawn from the gifts. |
| The wise men were kings named Caspar, Melchior, and Balthasar. | Matthew calls them Magi from the east and gives no names or royal titles (Matthew 2:1). The names come from later church tradition. |
| The wise men visited the manger on the night of the birth. | The Magi found the child with Mary in a house (Matthew 2:11). Herod killed boys two and under based on the time the Magi gave him (Matthew 2:16), which indicates the visit may have come some time after the birth. |
| An innkeeper turned Mary and Joseph away. | No innkeeper is mentioned. Luke says Jesus was laid in a manger because there was no guest room available for them (Luke 2:7). |
| Mary rode a donkey to Bethlehem. | Luke says Joseph went from Nazareth to Bethlehem with Mary (Luke 2:4-5). No donkey is mentioned. |
| Jesus was born in a stable or cave with animals around Him. | The text mentions a manger, a feeding trough for animals (Luke 2:7, 12). It does not describe the building or name any animals. |
| The angels sang to the shepherds. | Luke says the heavenly host was praising God and saying the words that follow (Luke 2:13-14). Singing is not stated. |
| Jesus was born on December 25. | The Bible does not give the date of Jesus's birth. December 25 is a date set by church tradition. |
| The star shone over the stable. | The star went ahead of the Magi and stopped over the place where the child was, and they entered a house (Matthew 2:9-11). |
None of these differences changes the central claims of the accounts: Jesus was born of a virgin (Matthew 1:18; Luke 1:34-35), in Bethlehem (Luke 2:4-7), as the promised son of David (Luke 1:32).
Bonus Questions: Tradition Check
How many wise men does the Bible say visited Jesus?
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The Bible does not say. It names three gifts but not the number of Magi. (Matthew 2:1, 11)
Does the Bible mention an innkeeper in the Christmas story?
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No. Luke says there was no guest room available, but no innkeeper appears. (Luke 2:7)
Where were Mary and the child when the Magi found them?
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In a house. (Matthew 2:11)
More Bible Trivia
For a family game this season, pair these questions with our Bible trivia for kids, which includes simpler questions on the birth of Jesus.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which books of the Bible tell the Christmas story?
Matthew 1-2 and Luke 1-2 are the two accounts of Jesus's birth. Matthew focuses on Joseph, the Magi, and Herod, while Luke focuses on Mary, Elizabeth, the shepherds, and the temple.
Does the Bible say there were three wise men?
No. Matthew 2 mentions Magi from the east and three gifts (gold, frankincense, and myrrh) but does not state how many Magi there were. The number three is tradition.
Was there an innkeeper in the Christmas story?
The Bible does not mention an innkeeper. Luke 2:7 says Mary laid Jesus in a manger because there was no guest room available for them.
Does the Bible say Jesus was born on December 25?
No. The Bible does not give a date for Jesus's birth. December 25 was set by later church tradition.
What prophecies did Jesus's birth fulfill?
Matthew cites Isaiah 7:14 (a virgin will conceive), Micah 5:2 (a ruler from Bethlehem), Hosea 11:1 (out of Egypt), and Jeremiah 31:15 (Rachel weeping) in connection with Jesus's birth and early childhood.