October 22, 2026
More than 125 million Christians around the world want a Bible but do not have one, even as digital Bible use continues to grow rapidly, according to reports released this month.
The Bible Access List 2026 estimates that more than 125 million Christians around the world want a Bible but do not have one, while more than 500 million Christians face some form of restriction on Bible access. That includes more than 250 million for whom access is very difficult.
Meanwhile, YouVersion reports continued growth in the use of its family of Bible apps. Daily use grew more than 13% worldwide in 2026, reaching 18.5 million people each day. YouVersion also added more than 160 million new installs this year, after passing one billion installs in November 2025.
The Bible Access List report says “Availability does not necessarily mean access.”
The report explains that even if a Bible exists in a person’s language, is printed in that country, or is available online, it may still be inaccessible. A person may be unable to afford or obtain one, lack electricity or internet service, or risk punishment for possessing or reading it.
The Bible Access List is published by the Bible Access Initiative, a partnership of Bible agencies and ministries. Steering partners include Bible League International, Digital Bible Society, Frontlines International, Voice of the Martyrs, and YouVersion. Biblica, Close the Bible Gap, OneHope, and Open Doors International are contributing partners.
The initiative says its goal is to give churches, ministries, and mission organizations a clearer picture of where Bibles are restricted or in short supply.
Researchers assessed 106 countries this year using two measures. The Bible Restrictions List ranks countries according to barriers that make Scripture difficult or dangerous to obtain or use. The Bible Shortage List estimates how many Christians want a Bible but do not have one.
On the Bible Restrictions List, Afghanistan ranks first, followed by Yemen, Somalia, North Korea, Eritrea, Mauritania, Turkmenistan, Libya, Sudan, and Iran.
The largest estimated Bible shortages, meanwhile, are in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Nigeria, and India. The report estimates that each of those countries has more than 10 million Christians who desire Bibles. Uganda, Tanzania, and China each have estimated shortages of 5 million to 10 million.
Restricted access to the Bible in some countries is a result of legal or political obstacles.
The report says printing and distribution of Bibles are prohibited or severely restricted in 39 countries. Thirty-eight countries restrict or prohibit the importation of Bibles, while 34 treat personal ownership similarly.
In North Korea, where the report says every form of Bible access is prohibited, discovery of a Bible can result in execution or a life sentence in a forced labor camp. Internet access for ordinary citizens is virtually nonexistent, and believers may rely on memorized Scripture because keeping a printed Bible is too dangerous.
In other nations, poverty and geography present the greater obstacles.
More than 550 million Christians live in 33 countries where severe socioeconomic barriers hinder Bible access, according to the report. In 18 of those countries, persecution-related restrictions are minimal or absent, yet an estimated 54 million Christians want Bibles and do not have them.
The Democratic Republic of Congo, for example, has no law restricting Bible access, but the report says fewer than one in three believers owns a Bible. Poor roads make remote communities difficult to reach, and only about one in five people has electricity, limiting digital options as well.
YouVersion, meanwhile, reports some of its fastest growth in Africa.
Daily use of YouVersion apps grew 72% in Senegal and Zimbabwe, 52% in Ethiopia, 48% in the Democratic Republic of Congo, 41% in Uganda, 37% in Nigeria, and 36% in Kenya.
Bobby Gruenewald, founder and CEO of YouVersion, said the ministry has been encouraged by the growing number of people turning to Scripture.
However, the Bible Access List reports that online access faces various constraints worldwide.
The Bible Access List estimates that more than 400 million Christians in 42 countries live without internet access. In another 48 countries, an estimated 277 million Christians live where accessing Scripture online is unsafe, restricted, or monitored.
In Iran, Bible apps and Christian websites may be accessible at times, but believers who read Scripture online can risk surveillance. In Somalia, the Bible is available in a major national language and online, but government monitoring and threats from extremist groups can make reading or distributing it dangerous. In Eritrea, phones are inspected at checkpoints, and the state monitors Christian content online.
Digital Scripture also depends on electricity, internet service, and access to a suitable device. The report says only about 55% of Ethiopia’s population has electricity and about 17% has internet access. In Cuba, power failures and internet disruptions can prevent believers from using Scripture on phones or shared devices.
The estimate of Christians wanting a Bible but not having one increased from more than 100 million in 2025 to more than 125 million this year, though seven newly included countries account for about one-third of the increase.
The 2026 study expanded from 88 countries to 106 and incorporated new data and changes in how researchers measured poverty, infrastructure, and internet safety. Updated survey data and country-level research also resulted in higher estimates in some countries and lower estimates in others.
The report says its findings can help churches and Bible ministries determine what kind of response is needed in different places.
In some countries, the need may be affordable printed Bibles or better distribution networks. In others, it may be improved connectivity or safer ways for Christians to access Scripture without exposing themselves to government surveillance, extremist violence, or pressure from family and community members.
The Bible Access List shows that for millions of others, however, the challenge remains getting the Bible into their hands or finding a way for them to read it safely.
Ultimately, the 2026 report poses a simple question: “How do we get Bibles to our brothers and sisters in Christ?
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