Distribution

That means funding transport to deliver Bibles. In China, for example, there’s a fleet of vans taking Bibles from the Amity Printing Press to rural churches and villages across the vast country. It also means working with volunteers, such as in Papua New Guinea, where supporters sell Bibles in the marketplace.

Some of the greatest demand for the Bible comes from the world’s poorest communities. So Bible Society subsidises the cost of Bibles. Occasionally, to people in prisons and refugee camps, for example, we provide Bibles free.

As well as complete Bibles, we distribute New Testaments, portions and selections. These are often designed for specific audiences, such as students, refugees or new Christians. We hand out Scripture portions alongside practical aid where people are facing crisis.

Distribution can also take place via the airways, with Bible readings on the radio, or through storytelling, as Bible Society is doing in the Gulf with migrant workers.

Since 2006, Bible distribution has risen by about five per cent annually. In a single year the Bible Society of Brazil handed out a staggering 199 million pieces of Scripture, and the Bible Society of India distributed 33 million.

In one 12-month period, almost 400 million people receive a Bible or part of the Bible from us.