More Than 126 Million Christians Want a Bible but Can’t Get One, New Report Finds

For many Christians in the United States, finding a Bible may require little more than reaching toward a bookshelf, opening a bedside drawer, or tapping on an app on their phone.

For millions of Christians around the world, accessing Scripture is far more difficult.

An estimated 126 million Christians across 81 countries want a personal Bible but do not have access to one, according to the 2026 Bible Access List, an annual assessment produced by the Bible Access Initiative.

The report examined Bible accessibility across 106 countries and found obstacles ranging from government restrictions and persecution to poverty, low literacy, and inadequate infrastructure. More than 500 million Christians worldwide face restrictions on Bible access, according to the initiative.

Millions Face Barriers to Scripture

The Bible Access Initiative distinguishes between access to Scripture and personal Bible ownership.

Bible access refers to a person’s ability to obtain or read Scripture, including through a printed copy, digital format, or a Bible shared through a church, family, or other setting. The initiative defines a Bible shortage as Christians who want a personal Bible but do not have one.

The 126 million estimate does not include non-Christians interested in exploring Scripture because researchers said reliable estimates for that population are not yet available, according to the initiative’s explanation of its methodology and definitions.

In some countries, laws, government controls, extremist activity, and pressure from families or communities can make accessing Scripture difficult or dangerous.

Afghanistan ranked first on the 2026 Bible Restrictions List, followed by Yemen, Somalia, North Korea, and Eritrea, according to the study. Baptist Press also reported on the findings following the report’s release.

Government restrictions and persecution are only part of the problem. Poverty, weak distribution networks, low literacy, limited electricity and internet access, and the absence of Scripture in a person’s language can also prevent Christians from obtaining a Bible, according to the Bible Access Initiative.

Digital technology has expanded the availability of Scripture but has not eliminated those barriers.

Over 400 million Christians across 42 countries are estimated to live without internet access, while 277 million Christians across 48 countries live where accessing Scripture online is unsafe or restricted, the report found.

The Democratic Republic of Congo illustrates how Bible shortages can exist even without government prohibition.

There are over 107 million Christians living in the country, but fewer than one-third own a Bible, according to the report. Poverty, limited electricity, and poor transportation infrastructure contribute to the shortage, Baptist Press reported.

How Researchers Measured Bible Access

The 2026 Bible Access List expanded its assessment from 88 countries in 2025 to 106 this year. Of those, 87 qualified for the Bible Restrictions List, while researchers published Bible shortage estimates for 81.

The initiative said data for the remaining 25 countries was too limited or uncertain to produce shortage estimates it considered sufficiently reliable.

Researchers used surveys from over 100 countries, interviews with country-specific experts, field observations, and consultations with local and diaspora leaders. They also incorporated outside data from sources including the World Christian Database, Open Doors’ World Watch List, World Bank indicators, and Bible translation databases.

The initiative acknowledges limitations in its research, including the difficulty of gathering information in highly restrictive countries, non-random survey samples, and some subjectivity in evaluating restrictions.

Researchers use ranges where uncertainty exists rather than presenting those estimates as precise counts.

The Bible Access Initiative was founded by Open Doors International and Digital Bible Society. Its 2026 steering partners include Bible League International, Digital Bible Society, Frontlines International, Voice of the Martyrs, and YouVersion.

When Having a Bible Becomes Ordinary

The findings present a sobering contrast for those of us who have never had to wonder whether we could obtain a Bible.

There are roughly six Bibles in my own home, including Bibles written for children. I can choose which Bible to open, compare translations, or pull out my phone and have Scripture in front of me within seconds.

That kind of access is an incredible blessing, and one that can become so ordinary that we take it for granted.

Somewhere else in the world, a Christian may want the very thing sitting unopened on one of our shelves.

For some, the barrier is poverty. For others, it is persecution or government restriction. Others lack reliable internet access or live somewhere where accessing Scripture online could put them at risk.

The circumstances may differ, but the report points to the same reality: millions of Christians who want their own Bible still do not have one.

The Bible Access Initiative encourages Christians and churches to respond through prayer, financial support, Bible distribution, digital and audio Scripture initiatives, and advocacy for unrestricted access to Scripture.

For those of us who can reach for God’s Word whenever we choose, the findings offer more than statistics about believers thousands of miles away.

They offer a reminder not to take for granted the Bible already within our reach.

Comments:

A few of the Bibles in my own home, including a children’s Bible. For millions of Christians worldwide, owning even one personal Bible remains out of reach. (Glorious Grace)

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