500 Million Christians Face Barriers to Bible Access Worldwide, New Report Finds
Bible access may be widespread in the United States and other Western countries, but a new report reveals that 500 million Christians in more than 80 countries face significant barriers to reading God’s Word—from government restrictions and socioeconomic challenges to limited internet access.
The second-annual Bible Access List, billed as the most comprehensive assessment of global Bible access to date, examined conditions in 106 countries and found a large gap between demand and availability. More than 125 million Christians across 81 countries want a Bible but do not have one. That figure has climbed from more than 100 million in the 2025 report.
“We often hear that the Bible is more accessible than ever, but we must not confuse availability with access,” said Wybo Nicolai, co-founder of the Bible Access List. “Persecution-related Bible access restrictions can make accessing Scripture difficult or dangerous, while socioeconomic barriers can put a Bible beyond people’s reach. Even where Scripture is available digitally, limited internet coverage or unsafe online environments can still prevent people from accessing it.”
More than 500 million Christians worldwide face persecution-related restrictions that make accessing the Bible difficult, including government controls, extremist violence and pressure from families and communities, according to the report. All in all, 87 countries are on the Bible restrictions list, led by No. 1 Afghanistan and followed by Yemen, Somalia, North Korea and Eritrea.
Economic barriers compound the problem of access to the Bible. More than 550 million Christians in 33 countries face severe obstacles such as poverty, limited electricity, poor infrastructure and low literacy, with an estimated 82 million in those countries lacking a Bible.
Meanwhile, more than 400 million Christians in 42 countries are estimated to lack internet access, while 277 million in 48 countries live in places where accessing Scripture online is unsafe or restricted.
The report’s “Bible Shortage List” identifies the countries where the most Christians want a Bible but don’t have one. The Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Nigeria and India each have shortages exceeding 10 million Bibles, while Uganda’s shortage is estimated at 5 million to 10 million.
The report was released by the Bible Access Initiative, a coalition of ministries committed to expanding access to Scripture worldwide.
“The annual assessment is more than a picture of the problem but a roadmap for showing where intentional, strategic action is needed,” said Ken Bitgood, founder and CEO of Digital Bible Society, co-founder of the Bible Access List. “We believe everyone deserves access to God’s Word, and our goal is to equip others to join us in this mission, combining our efforts, resources and energy together to make this a reality.”
Other partners include the Bible League International, Digital Bible Society, Frontlines International, The Voice of the Martyrs and YouVersion.
Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/Tetra Images
Michael Foust has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years. His stories have appeared in Baptist Press, Christianity Today, The Christian Post, the Leaf-Chronicle, the Toronto Star and the Knoxville News-Sentinel.
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Originally published October 02, 2026.
