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    What Does the Bible Say About the Virgin Birth?

    What Does the Bible Say About the Virgin Birth? The Bible teaches that Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit in the womb of the virgin Mary, fulfilling Isaiah's prophecy and ensuring Christ was both fully God and fully man.

    Key verse: Isaiah 7:14 (KJV)

    The Bible teaches that Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit in the womb of the virgin Mary, fulfilling Isaiah's prophecy and ensuring Christ was both fully God and fully man.

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    Quick Answer

    The Bible teaches that Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit in the womb of the virgin Mary, fulfilling Isaiah's prophecy and ensuring Christ was both fully God and fully man.

    "Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel." — Isaiah 7:14 (KJV)

    The Biblical Answer

    The virgin birth is a foundational Christian doctrine prophesied in Isaiah 7:14: 'Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel' — meaning 'God with us.' Matthew 1:18-25 records the fulfillment: 'before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.' The angel told Joseph, 'that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.' Luke's account adds Gabriel's announcement to Mary: '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' (Luke 1:35). The virgin birth is theologically essential — it ensures that Jesus was born without a sin nature inherited from Adam, while still being fully human through Mary. He is the unique God-man: truly divine, truly human. Without the virgin birth, Jesus could not be the sinless sacrifice for humanity's sin.

    Topic Overview

    What Does the Bible Say About Salvation?

    What the Bible teaches about salvation, being saved, and how to receive eternal life.

    Key Scripture References

    "Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel."
    "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."
    "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."

    Frequently asked questions

    Frequently asked questions

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    Deep Dive Commentary

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    Read it in context

    The answer above sits inside Isaiah. The 365-day chronological plan reads it in the order the events happened.

    Read Isaiah on day 185 of the chronological Bible reading plan

    Keep the verses to hand

    Every verse quoted in “What Does the Bible Say About the Virgin Birth?” comes from the King James Version, free to download and print.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    The virgin birth is a foundational Christian doctrine prophesied in Isaiah 7:14: 'Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel' — meaning 'God with us.' Matthew 1:18-25 records the fulfillment: 'before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.' The angel told Joseph, 'that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.' Luke's account adds Gabriel's announcement to Mary: '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' (Luke 1:35). The virgin birth is theologically essential — it ensures that Jesus was born without a sin nature inherited from Adam, while still being fully human through Mary. He is the unique God-man: truly divine, truly human. Without the virgin birth, Jesus could not be the sinless sacrifice for humanity's sin.

    Yes — the Bible teaches that Jesus is fully God and fully man, the second person of the Trinity.

    Biblical prophecy is God revealing future events and spiritual truths through chosen messengers, with hundreds of prophecies already fulfilled with remarkable accuracy.