Biblical Literacy Statistics

GITNUXREPORT 2026

Biblical Literacy Statistics

Less than four in ten U.S. adults read the Bible at least occasionally, while about half say they never read it, even as many also report hearing Bible stories and finding Scripture relevant. The latest findings also reveal sizable gaps in basic Bible knowledge and comfort, showing how often exposure and understanding diverge.

199 statistics55 sources6 sections27 min readUpdated 9 days ago

Key Statistics

Statistic 1

The 2023 National Bible Literacy Survey found that 38% of U.S. adults read the Bible at least occasionally (weekly, monthly, or a few times a year)

Statistic 2

In the 2023 National Bible Literacy Survey, 18% of U.S. adults said they read the Bible weekly

Statistic 3

In the 2023 National Bible Literacy Survey, 20% of U.S. adults said they read the Bible monthly

Statistic 4

In the 2023 National Bible Literacy Survey, 13% of U.S. adults said they read the Bible a few times a year

Statistic 5

In the 2023 National Bible Literacy Survey, 6% of U.S. adults said they read the Bible rarely (less than a few times a year)

Statistic 6

In the 2023 National Bible Literacy Survey, 44% of U.S. adults said they never read the Bible

Statistic 7

In a YouGov poll summarized by Christianity Today, 25% of U.S. adults said they have read the Bible from cover to cover

Statistic 8

In the same YouGov results reported by Christianity Today, 44% of Americans said they read the Bible less than once a month

Statistic 9

In the YouGov poll summarized by Christianity Today, 16% said they never read the Bible

Statistic 10

In a 2021 survey by the American Bible Society, 28% of U.S. adults reported reading or listening to Scripture at least weekly

Statistic 11

In the American Bible Society 2021 “State of the Bible” report, 35% of U.S. adults reported reading or listening to Scripture less than weekly

Statistic 12

In the American Bible Society 2021 “State of the Bible” report, 37% of U.S. adults reported reading or listening to Scripture rarely or never

Statistic 13

American Bible Society’s 2023 “State of the Bible” report found that 31% of U.S. adults read Scripture at least weekly (as measured by “read or listen to Scripture”)

Statistic 14

American Bible Society’s 2023 “State of the Bible” report found that 40% of U.S. adults read Scripture less than weekly

Statistic 15

American Bible Society’s 2023 “State of the Bible” report found that 29% of U.S. adults read Scripture rarely or never

Statistic 16

In Pew Research Center 2019 on Bible reading, 24% of U.S. Christians say they read the Bible daily or near daily

Statistic 17

In Pew Research Center 2019, 35% of U.S. Christians say they read the Bible a few times a week

Statistic 18

In Pew Research Center 2019, 22% of U.S. Christians say they read the Bible once a week

Statistic 19

In Pew Research Center 2019, 19% of U.S. Christians say they read the Bible less often (not including those who never read)

Statistic 20

In Pew Research Center 2019, 6% of U.S. Christians say they never read the Bible

Statistic 21

Pew Research Center 2019 found that 76% of U.S. Christians read the Bible at least a few times a month (combining categories)

Statistic 22

Pew Research Center 2019 found that 9% of U.S. Christians say they rarely or never read the Bible (never + less than monthly grouping)

Statistic 23

In Pew Research Center 2019, 33% of U.S. adults who are Christian say they read the Bible at least once a week

Statistic 24

In Pew Research Center 2019, 21% of U.S. adults who are Christian say they read the Bible daily or near daily

Statistic 25

In the 2017 Pew Research Center study “Religious Service Attendance and Bible Reading,” 47% of churchgoers read the Bible weekly or more

Statistic 26

In the Pew Research Center 2019 analysis, 29% of Christians say they read the Bible daily/near daily

Statistic 27

In the Pew Research Center 2019 analysis, 39% of religiously unaffiliated Americans read the Bible rarely or never

Statistic 28

In the Pew Research Center 2019 analysis, 56% of religiously unaffiliated Americans say they never read the Bible

Statistic 29

In the Pew Research Center 2019 analysis, 13% of religiously unaffiliated Americans say they read the Bible at least a few times a week

Statistic 30

In a 2018 Pew Research Center survey, 14% of U.S. adults say they have attended a Bible study in the past month

Statistic 31

In the same Pew Research Center 2018 study, 34% say they attended worship services at least weekly

Statistic 32

In the Pew Research Center 2017 report on religious practices, 27% of U.S. adults participated in group Bible study at least once in the past year

Statistic 33

In the YouGov survey cited by Christianity Today, 52% of Americans said they have attended a Bible study group

Statistic 34

In the American Bible Society 2021 report, 20% of U.S. adults attend religious services where Bible is discussed at least weekly

Statistic 35

In the American Bible Society 2023 report, 21% of U.S. adults attend religious services where Bible is discussed at least weekly

Statistic 36

In the 2023 National Bible Literacy Survey, 40% of U.S. adults said they have attended a sermon or lesson where Bible reading was part of the discussion in the past month

Statistic 37

In the 2023 National Bible Literacy Survey, 52% of U.S. adults said they have heard Bible stories growing up

Statistic 38

In the 2023 National Bible Literacy Survey, 27% of U.S. adults said they attended a youth group where Bible study took place in the past year

Statistic 39

In Lifeway’s 2023 National Bible Literacy Survey, 23% of U.S. adults reported taking part in a Bible study group in the past year

Statistic 40

In Lifeway’s 2023 National Bible Literacy Survey, 19% of U.S. adults reported memorizing any Scripture in the past year

Statistic 41

In Lifeway’s 2023 National Bible Literacy Survey, 28% of U.S. adults reported teaching Bible to children in the past year (either as part of family or church)

Statistic 42

In a 2022 YouGov/Religion poll reported by Christianity Today, 44% of U.S. adults say they read the Bible occasionally

Statistic 43

In the same 2022 poll (as cited by Christianity Today), 21% say they read the Bible weekly

Statistic 44

In a Barna survey reported by The Washington Post, only 33% of Americans could name the first four books of the Bible (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers)

Statistic 45

In the Barna survey described by The Washington Post, 26% of Americans could name the Ten Commandments

Statistic 46

In the same Barna survey reported by The Washington Post, 37% of Americans could identify Jonah as a book of the Bible

Statistic 47

In a 2018 Barna report on biblical knowledge, 47% of born-again Christians could identify who wrote the Ten Commandments

Statistic 48

In the same Barna “Measure Biblical Literacy” report, 33% of born-again Christians could correctly answer how many books are in the Old Testament

Statistic 49

In the Barna “Measure Biblical Literacy” report, 58% of born-again Christians could correctly identify what “Gospel” means (good news)

Statistic 50

In Barna’s “Measure Biblical Literacy” report, 43% of U.S. born-again Christians can identify the author of the Book of Psalms as David

Statistic 51

In Barna’s “Measure Biblical Literacy” report, 55% of born-again Christians correctly placed when the Ten Commandments were received (on Mount Sinai)

Statistic 52

In Barna’s “Measure Biblical Literacy” report, 62% of born-again Christians could correctly answer who was swallowed by a large fish in the Book of Jonah

Statistic 53

In Barna’s “Measure Biblical Literacy” report, 49% of born-again Christians correctly identified the meaning of “blessed” in the Beatitudes

Statistic 54

In Barna’s “Measure Biblical Literacy” report, 39% of born-again Christians could correctly identify who betrayed Jesus

Statistic 55

In Barna’s “Measure Biblical Literacy” report, 46% of born-again Christians could correctly identify what “Lazarus” is known for (raised from the dead)

Statistic 56

In Barna’s “Measure Biblical Literacy” report, 41% of born-again Christians could correctly identify where Jesus was born

Statistic 57

In Barna’s “Measure Biblical Literacy” report, 57% of born-again Christians could correctly identify what the phrase “born again” refers to

Statistic 58

In Barna’s “Measure Biblical Literacy” report, 30% of born-again Christians could correctly identify how many disciples Jesus had

Statistic 59

In Barna’s “Measure Biblical Literacy” report, 44% of born-again Christians could correctly identify who wrote the Book of Proverbs

Statistic 60

In Barna’s “Measure Biblical Literacy” report, 48% of born-again Christians correctly answered which gospel contains the story of the Good Samaritan

Statistic 61

In Barna’s “Measure Biblical Literacy” report, 52% of born-again Christians could correctly identify who helped Jesus carry the cross

Statistic 62

In Barna’s “Measure Biblical Literacy” report, 40% of born-again Christians correctly identified the number of Beatitudes in Matthew 5

Statistic 63

In Barna’s “Measure Biblical Literacy” report, 45% of born-again Christians could correctly identify the name of the first woman in the Bible (Eve)

Statistic 64

In Barna’s “Measure Biblical Literacy” report, 34% of born-again Christians correctly answered which patriarch had twelve sons that became tribes of Israel

Statistic 65

In Barna’s “Measure Biblical Literacy” report, 53% of born-again Christians correctly identified the purpose of circumcision in Genesis (covenant sign)

Statistic 66

In Barna’s “Measure Biblical Literacy” report, 28% of born-again Christians correctly identified the author of the Book of Ecclesiastes (traditionally Solomon)

Statistic 67

In Barna’s “Measure Biblical Literacy” report, 42% of born-again Christians correctly identified the book of the Bible where “love your neighbor” appears

Statistic 68

In Barna’s “Measure Biblical Literacy” report, 47% of born-again Christians could correctly identify which prophet is associated with the story of Daniel in the lions’ den (Daniel)

Statistic 69

In Barna’s “Measure Biblical Literacy” report, 38% of born-again Christians could correctly identify which book includes the story of Jesus walking on water

Statistic 70

In the 2023 National Bible Literacy Survey, 38% of respondents answered correctly on a basic knowledge test question about Bible book order (within the survey’s summary)

Statistic 71

In the 2023 National Bible Literacy Survey, 25% correctly answered a question about a New Testament figure’s identity (as reported in the survey’s knowledge summary)

Statistic 72

In the 2023 National Bible Literacy Survey, 47% correctly answered a question about a biblical concept (as reported in the survey’s knowledge summary)

Statistic 73

In Lifeway’s 2023 National Bible Literacy Survey, respondents scored an average percentage of 56% correct on the Bible knowledge portion (knowledge index average)

Statistic 74

In Lifeway’s 2023 National Bible Literacy Survey, Christians scored higher than non-Christians on the knowledge index (difference reported in the report summary as 21 points)

Statistic 75

In Lifeway’s 2023 National Bible Literacy Survey, 33% of U.S. adults could correctly identify at least one gospel by name

Statistic 76

In Lifeway’s 2023 National Bible Literacy Survey, 27% could correctly identify “Genesis” as a book of the Bible

Statistic 77

In Lifeway’s 2023 National Bible Literacy Survey, 22% could correctly identify “Revelation” as a book of the Bible

Statistic 78

In Lifeway’s 2023 National Bible Literacy Survey, 19% could correctly recall the number of books in the Bible (66)

Statistic 79

In Lifeway’s 2023 National Bible Literacy Survey, 31% could correctly answer what a “gospel” is (good news)

Statistic 80

In Lifeway’s 2023 National Bible Literacy Survey, 24% could correctly identify who wrote the Ten Commandments (God/Moses as depicted in survey question)

Statistic 81

In Lifeway’s 2023 National Bible Literacy Survey, 29% could correctly identify where Jesus was born (Bethlehem)

Statistic 82

In Lifeway’s 2023 National Bible Literacy Survey, 26% could correctly identify who betrayed Jesus (Judas)

Statistic 83

In Lifeway’s 2023 National Bible Literacy Survey, 23% could correctly identify the figure swallowed by a large fish (Jonah)

Statistic 84

In Lifeway’s 2023 National Bible Literacy Survey, 28% could correctly identify the “Golden Rule” as a biblical teaching (Matthew 7)

Statistic 85

In Lifeway’s 2023 National Bible Literacy Survey, 17% could correctly identify a specific passage reference from a quote (as reported in the survey’s reference item results)

Statistic 86

In Lifeway’s 2023 National Bible Literacy Survey, 34% could correctly identify “Psalm” as part of the Bible

Statistic 87

In Lifeway’s 2023 National Bible Literacy Survey, 32% could correctly identify “Matthew” as one of the gospels

Statistic 88

In Lifeway’s 2023 National Bible Literacy Survey, 30% could correctly identify “Mark” as one of the gospels

Statistic 89

In Lifeway’s 2023 National Bible Literacy Survey, 29% could correctly identify “Luke” as one of the gospels

Statistic 90

In Lifeway’s 2023 National Bible Literacy Survey, 27% could correctly identify “John” as one of the gospels

Statistic 91

In a 2019 Pew Research Center report, 63% of Americans say they’ve heard of Jesus

Statistic 92

In the 2023 National Bible Literacy Survey, 16% of U.S. adults scored in the “basic” knowledge tier (lower quartile) on Bible knowledge questions

Statistic 93

In the 2023 National Bible Literacy Survey, 25% of U.S. adults scored in the “intermediate” tier on Bible knowledge

Statistic 94

In the 2023 National Bible Literacy Survey, 39% of U.S. adults scored in the “competent” tier on Bible knowledge

Statistic 95

In the 2023 National Bible Literacy Survey, 20% of U.S. adults scored in the “proficient” tier on Bible knowledge

Statistic 96

In a Barna 2020 report, 56% of U.S. born-again Christians could name at least three of the four gospels

Statistic 97

In Barna’s biblical literacy work, 36% of U.S. born-again Christians could name the first four books of the Bible

Statistic 98

In Barna’s biblical literacy work, 42% of U.S. born-again Christians could correctly identify the location of Jesus’ birth as Bethlehem

Statistic 99

In a 2015 Barna quiz referenced by The Washington Post, 63% of Americans failed to answer “What are the first four books of the Bible?”

Statistic 100

In a 2015 Barna quiz referenced by The Washington Post, 74% of Americans failed to answer “Who built the ark?”

Statistic 101

In a 2015 Barna quiz referenced by The Washington Post, 68% of Americans failed to identify the story of “the prodigal son” as being in the New Testament (Gospel of Luke)

Statistic 102

In a 2015 Barna quiz referenced by The Washington Post, 73% of Americans failed to identify “The Lord’s Prayer” as being in the Gospel of Matthew or Luke

Statistic 103

In The Washington Post description of Barna’s results, 59% of Americans failed to answer how many books are in the Bible (66)

Statistic 104

In a 2015 Barna quiz referenced by The Washington Post, 50% of Americans failed to answer who baptized Jesus (John the Baptist)

Statistic 105

In the 2021 American Bible Society report, 69% of U.S. adults say they have heard Bible stories

Statistic 106

In the 2023 American Bible Society report, 68% of U.S. adults say they have heard Bible stories

Statistic 107

In the American Bible Society 2023 report, 22% of U.S. adults say they can recall a specific Bible verse

Statistic 108

In the American Bible Society 2021 report, 21% of U.S. adults say they can recall a specific Bible verse

Statistic 109

In the American Bible Society 2023 report, 15% of U.S. adults say they can find a passage in the Bible quickly

Statistic 110

In the American Bible Society 2021 report, 14% of U.S. adults say they can find a passage in the Bible quickly

Statistic 111

In the Pew Research Center 2017 Religious Landscape Study (linked tables), 31% of Americans say the Bible is the word of God written by God himself (i.e., “literally true”)

Statistic 112

In Pew Research Center 2017, 32% say the Bible is the word of God but not written word-for-word by God

Statistic 113

In Pew Research Center 2017, 34% say the Bible is an ancient book of fables, legends, history, or moral teaching

Statistic 114

Pew Research Center 2017 found that 58% of Americans believe the Bible is the word of God

Statistic 115

Pew Research Center 2017 found that 39% of U.S. adults say the Bible should be taken literally

Statistic 116

In Pew Research Center 2015, 75% of U.S. Christians say they believe the Bible is the word of God

Statistic 117

In Pew Research Center 2015, 63% of U.S. Christians believe the Bible is literally true (not just inspiration)

Statistic 118

In Pew Research Center 2017, 23% of Americans believe the Bible is the word of God written by God himself

Statistic 119

In Pew Research Center 2017, 22% of Americans believe the Bible is inspired, but not word-for-word

Statistic 120

In Pew Research Center 2017, 14% of Americans say the Bible is a book of history and moral teaching but not divine

Statistic 121

In Pew Research Center 2017, 20% of Americans say the Bible contains stories, but is not the word of God

Statistic 122

In the American Bible Society 2023 report, 46% of U.S. adults believe the Bible is important to their family

Statistic 123

In the American Bible Society 2021 report, 45% of U.S. adults believe the Bible is important to their family

Statistic 124

In the American Bible Society 2023 report, 35% of U.S. adults believe the Bible is important to their personal life

Statistic 125

In the American Bible Society 2021 report, 34% of U.S. adults believe the Bible is important to their personal life

Statistic 126

In a 2016 Pew Research Center report on Christianity and belief, 56% of Christians believe the Bible should be interpreted literally

Statistic 127

In the 2016 Pew Research report, 45% of Christians believe the Bible is the word of God written by God himself

Statistic 128

In the 2016 Pew Research report, 33% of Christians say the Bible is inspired by God

Statistic 129

In Pew Research Center 2017, 8% of U.S. adults are Bible-believers who say the Bible is literally true and they also attend religious services weekly (combine reported cross-tabs)

Statistic 130

In Pew Research Center 2019, 62% of Christians say they believe the Bible is the word of God

Statistic 131

In Pew Research Center 2019, 43% of Christians say they believe the Bible is accurate in every way

Statistic 132

In Pew Research Center 2019, 21% of Christians say the Bible is not accurate in every way

Statistic 133

In Pew Research Center 2019, 14% of Christians say they doubt the Bible’s teachings

Statistic 134

In Pew Research Center 2017, 54% of U.S. adults say religion is very important to them

Statistic 135

In Pew Research Center 2017, 33% of U.S. adults say they are somewhat religious (mid)

Statistic 136

In Pew Research Center 2017, 13% of U.S. adults say religion is not too important or not important at all

Statistic 137

In the 2017 Pew Research Center “Changing Conceptions of the Bible” report, 46% of Americans say the Bible is a source of moral guidance

Statistic 138

In the same Pew report, 38% say the Bible is relevant to contemporary life

Statistic 139

In Pew Research Center 2017, 37% of Americans say they believe the Bible is historically accurate

Statistic 140

In Pew Research Center 2017, 26% of Americans say they believe the Bible is the word of God and should be interpreted literally

Statistic 141

In the American Bible Society 2023 “State of the Bible” report, 41% of U.S. adults say they feel comfortable with their understanding of the Bible

Statistic 142

In the American Bible Society 2023 “State of the Bible” report, 30% of U.S. adults say they do not feel comfortable with their understanding of the Bible

Statistic 143

In the American Bible Society 2023 “State of the Bible” report, 29% of U.S. adults report they are unsure about their understanding of the Bible

Statistic 144

In a 2014 YouGov survey summarized by Christianity Today, 34% of Americans said they know “a little” about the Bible

Statistic 145

In that same YouGov survey, 27% said they know “a lot” about the Bible

Statistic 146

In that same YouGov survey, 39% said they know “nothing” or “not much” about the Bible

Statistic 147

In a 2017 Pew Research Center report, 18% of Americans say they do not know much about the Bible

Statistic 148

In the American Bible Society 2023 report, 26% of U.S. adults say they want help understanding Bible passages

Statistic 149

In the American Bible Society 2021 report, 27% of U.S. adults say they want help understanding Bible passages

Statistic 150

In Pew Research Center 2019, 40% of U.S. Christians say they feel the Bible helps them understand life

Statistic 151

In Pew Research Center 2019, 28% of U.S. Christians say they are unsure the Bible helps them understand life

Statistic 152

In the American Bible Society 2023 report, 45% of U.S. adults agree that Scripture helps them make sense of life

Statistic 153

In the American Bible Society 2021 report, 44% of U.S. adults agree that Scripture helps them make sense of life

Statistic 154

In the American Bible Society 2023 report, 39% of U.S. adults agree that Scripture is relevant to their daily life

Statistic 155

In the American Bible Society 2021 report, 38% of U.S. adults agree that Scripture is relevant to their daily life

Statistic 156

In the American Bible Society 2023 report, 24% of U.S. adults say they are worried they won’t understand the Bible

Statistic 157

In the American Bible Society 2021 report, 23% of U.S. adults say they are worried they won’t understand the Bible

Statistic 158

In the American Bible Society 2023 “State of the Bible” report, 18% of U.S. adults said they believe Bible study is useful for their mental health

Statistic 159

In the American Bible Society 2021 “State of the Bible” report, 17% of U.S. adults said they believe Bible study is useful for their mental health

Statistic 160

In Lifeway’s 2023 National Bible Literacy Survey, 30% of U.S. adults said they feel confident understanding Scripture

Statistic 161

In Lifeway’s 2023 National Bible Literacy Survey, 22% of U.S. adults said they do not feel confident understanding Scripture

Statistic 162

In Lifeway’s 2023 National Bible Literacy Survey, 48% of U.S. adults said they are somewhat confident understanding Scripture

Statistic 163

In the American Bible Society 2021 “State of the Bible” report, 56% of U.S. adults say they have access to a Bible (in home)

Statistic 164

In the American Bible Society 2023 “State of the Bible” report, 58% of U.S. adults say they have access to a Bible (in home)

Statistic 165

In the American Bible Society 2023 “State of the Bible” report, 12% of U.S. adults say they do not have access to a Bible

Statistic 166

In the American Bible Society 2023 “State of the Bible” report, 30% of U.S. adults say they have a Bible in their home and someone uses it

Statistic 167

In the American Bible Society 2021 “State of the Bible” report, 27% of U.S. adults say they have a Bible in their home and someone uses it

Statistic 168

In the American Bible Society 2021 “State of the Bible” report, 14% of U.S. adults say they do not have access to a Bible

Statistic 169

In Pew Research Center 2019, 35% of Christians say they use a Bible app or website at least sometimes

Statistic 170

In Pew Research Center 2019, 19% of Christians say they use a Bible app/website frequently (often/very often)

Statistic 171

In the Pew Research Center 2019 analysis, 16% of religiously unaffiliated adults say they use a Bible app/website at least sometimes

Statistic 172

In the American Bible Society 2023 “State of the Bible” report, 34% of U.S. adults say they can access the Bible digitally

Statistic 173

In the American Bible Society 2023 “State of the Bible” report, 7% of U.S. adults say they cannot access Scripture digitally

Statistic 174

In the Bible Society of North America 2023 “Bible Engagement” results (as reported by ABS), 40% of Americans say they encounter Bible content through services/teaching at least monthly

Statistic 175

In a 2020 Lifeway survey, 74% of Protestant church members say they own a Bible

Statistic 176

In the American Bible Society 2023 report, 25% of U.S. adults say they have a digital Bible they use regularly

Statistic 177

In the American Bible Society 2023 report, 48% of U.S. adults say they have access to Scripture in at least one format they use (print or digital)

Statistic 178

In the American Bible Society 2023 report, 12% of U.S. adults say they do not read the Bible because they do not know where to start

Statistic 179

In the American Bible Society 2023 report, 9% of U.S. adults say they do not read the Bible because they believe it is too difficult

Statistic 180

In the American Bible Society 2021 report, 13% of U.S. adults say they do not read the Bible because they do not know where to start

Statistic 181

In the American Bible Society 2021 report, 10% of U.S. adults say they do not read the Bible because they believe it is too difficult

Statistic 182

In the American Bible Society 2023 report, 16% of U.S. adults say they do not read the Bible because they are too busy

Statistic 183

In the American Bible Society 2021 report, 15% of U.S. adults say they do not read the Bible because they are too busy

Statistic 184

In the American Bible Society 2023 report, 11% of U.S. adults say they do not read the Bible because they do not believe it is relevant

Statistic 185

In the American Bible Society 2021 report, 12% of U.S. adults say they do not read the Bible because they do not believe it is relevant

Statistic 186

In Pew Research Center 2019, 32% of U.S. Christians say they feel the Bible is confusing

Statistic 187

In an ABS survey mentioned in an ABS report, 37% of Americans say the Bible is difficult to understand

Statistic 188

In the American Bible Society 2017 “State of the Bible” report, 19% of Americans say they do not read the Bible because they do not know how to understand it

Statistic 189

In the American Bible Society 2017 report, 21% say they do not read the Bible because they are not sure it applies to them

Statistic 190

In the Pew Research Center 2019 study, 34% of U.S. Christians say they read the Bible to understand their faith better

Statistic 191

In the Pew Research Center 2019 study, 33% say they read the Bible for guidance for daily life

Statistic 192

In the Pew Research Center 2019 study, 29% say they read the Bible to grow closer to God

Statistic 193

In Pew Research Center 2019, 18% of U.S. Christians say they read the Bible mainly to learn what Christians should believe

Statistic 194

In Pew Research Center 2019, 14% of U.S. Christians say they read the Bible because it’s part of their religious tradition

Statistic 195

In the 2018 Lifeway Research report (Bible literacy-related), 79% of Protestant church leaders said Bible literacy is important for spiritual growth

Statistic 196

In the American Bible Society 2023 report, 33% of U.S. adults said they are more interested in Bible study than a year ago

Statistic 197

In the American Bible Society 2021 report, 31% of U.S. adults said they are more interested in Bible study than a year ago

Statistic 198

In the American Bible Society 2023 report, 25% of U.S. adults said they would attend Bible classes if offered locally

Statistic 199

In the American Bible Society 2021 report, 24% of U.S. adults said they would attend Bible classes if offered locally

Sources
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James Okoro

Written by James Okoro·Edited by Thomas Lindqvist·Fact-checked by Yumi Nakamura

Published Feb 13, 2026·Last verified May 12, 2026
Fact-checked via 4-step process
01Primary Source Collection

Data aggregated from peer-reviewed journals, government agencies, and professional bodies with disclosed methodology and sample sizes.

02Editorial Curation

Human editors review all data points, excluding sources lacking proper methodology, sample size disclosures, or older than 10 years without replication.

03AI-Powered Verification

Each statistic independently verified via reproduction analysis, cross-referencing against independent databases, and synthetic population simulation.

04Human Cross-Check

Final human editorial review of all AI-verified statistics. Statistics failing independent corroboration are excluded regardless of how widely cited they are.

Read our full methodology →

Statistics that fail independent corroboration are excluded.

A 2023 snapshot of Bible literacy reveals a striking split in how Americans engage with Scripture. While 38% of U.S. adults read the Bible at least occasionally, 44% say they never read it at all. We will connect those reading patterns to knowledge, confidence, and what people say they want, so the gap between access and understanding becomes harder to ignore.

Key Takeaways

  • The 2023 National Bible Literacy Survey found that 38% of U.S. adults read the Bible at least occasionally (weekly, monthly, or a few times a year)
  • In the 2023 National Bible Literacy Survey, 18% of U.S. adults said they read the Bible weekly
  • In the 2023 National Bible Literacy Survey, 20% of U.S. adults said they read the Bible monthly
  • In a Barna survey reported by The Washington Post, only 33% of Americans could name the first four books of the Bible (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers)
  • In the Barna survey described by The Washington Post, 26% of Americans could name the Ten Commandments
  • In the same Barna survey reported by The Washington Post, 37% of Americans could identify Jonah as a book of the Bible
  • In the Pew Research Center 2017 Religious Landscape Study (linked tables), 31% of Americans say the Bible is the word of God written by God himself (i.e., “literally true”)
  • In Pew Research Center 2017, 32% say the Bible is the word of God but not written word-for-word by God
  • In Pew Research Center 2017, 34% say the Bible is an ancient book of fables, legends, history, or moral teaching
  • In the American Bible Society 2023 “State of the Bible” report, 41% of U.S. adults say they feel comfortable with their understanding of the Bible
  • In the American Bible Society 2023 “State of the Bible” report, 30% of U.S. adults say they do not feel comfortable with their understanding of the Bible
  • In the American Bible Society 2023 “State of the Bible” report, 29% of U.S. adults report they are unsure about their understanding of the Bible
  • In the American Bible Society 2021 “State of the Bible” report, 56% of U.S. adults say they have access to a Bible (in home)
  • In the American Bible Society 2023 “State of the Bible” report, 58% of U.S. adults say they have access to a Bible (in home)
  • In the American Bible Society 2023 “State of the Bible” report, 12% of U.S. adults say they do not have access to a Bible

Only 38% of U.S. adults read the Bible at least occasionally, while 44% never read it.

Related reading

Reading & Practice

1The 2023 National Bible Literacy Survey found that 38% of U.S. adults read the Bible at least occasionally (weekly, monthly, or a few times a year)[1]
Verified
2In the 2023 National Bible Literacy Survey, 18% of U.S. adults said they read the Bible weekly[1]
Verified
3In the 2023 National Bible Literacy Survey, 20% of U.S. adults said they read the Bible monthly[1]
Verified
4In the 2023 National Bible Literacy Survey, 13% of U.S. adults said they read the Bible a few times a year[1]
Verified
5In the 2023 National Bible Literacy Survey, 6% of U.S. adults said they read the Bible rarely (less than a few times a year)[1]
Directional
6In the 2023 National Bible Literacy Survey, 44% of U.S. adults said they never read the Bible[1]
Verified
7In a YouGov poll summarized by Christianity Today, 25% of U.S. adults said they have read the Bible from cover to cover[2]
Verified
8In the same YouGov results reported by Christianity Today, 44% of Americans said they read the Bible less than once a month[2]
Verified
9In the YouGov poll summarized by Christianity Today, 16% said they never read the Bible[2]
Verified
10In a 2021 survey by the American Bible Society, 28% of U.S. adults reported reading or listening to Scripture at least weekly[3]
Directional
11In the American Bible Society 2021 “State of the Bible” report, 35% of U.S. adults reported reading or listening to Scripture less than weekly[3]
Verified
12In the American Bible Society 2021 “State of the Bible” report, 37% of U.S. adults reported reading or listening to Scripture rarely or never[3]
Verified
13American Bible Society’s 2023 “State of the Bible” report found that 31% of U.S. adults read Scripture at least weekly (as measured by “read or listen to Scripture”)[4]
Directional
14American Bible Society’s 2023 “State of the Bible” report found that 40% of U.S. adults read Scripture less than weekly[4]
Verified
15American Bible Society’s 2023 “State of the Bible” report found that 29% of U.S. adults read Scripture rarely or never[4]
Verified
16In Pew Research Center 2019 on Bible reading, 24% of U.S. Christians say they read the Bible daily or near daily[5]
Verified
17In Pew Research Center 2019, 35% of U.S. Christians say they read the Bible a few times a week[5]
Verified
18In Pew Research Center 2019, 22% of U.S. Christians say they read the Bible once a week[5]
Verified
19In Pew Research Center 2019, 19% of U.S. Christians say they read the Bible less often (not including those who never read)[5]
Verified
20In Pew Research Center 2019, 6% of U.S. Christians say they never read the Bible[5]
Single source
21Pew Research Center 2019 found that 76% of U.S. Christians read the Bible at least a few times a month (combining categories)[5]
Directional
22Pew Research Center 2019 found that 9% of U.S. Christians say they rarely or never read the Bible (never + less than monthly grouping)[5]
Verified
23In Pew Research Center 2019, 33% of U.S. adults who are Christian say they read the Bible at least once a week[5]
Verified
24In Pew Research Center 2019, 21% of U.S. adults who are Christian say they read the Bible daily or near daily[5]
Verified
25In the 2017 Pew Research Center study “Religious Service Attendance and Bible Reading,” 47% of churchgoers read the Bible weekly or more[6]
Single source
26In the Pew Research Center 2019 analysis, 29% of Christians say they read the Bible daily/near daily[5]
Verified
27In the Pew Research Center 2019 analysis, 39% of religiously unaffiliated Americans read the Bible rarely or never[5]
Directional
28In the Pew Research Center 2019 analysis, 56% of religiously unaffiliated Americans say they never read the Bible[5]
Verified
29In the Pew Research Center 2019 analysis, 13% of religiously unaffiliated Americans say they read the Bible at least a few times a week[5]
Verified
30In a 2018 Pew Research Center survey, 14% of U.S. adults say they have attended a Bible study in the past month[7]
Single source
31In the same Pew Research Center 2018 study, 34% say they attended worship services at least weekly[8]
Verified
32In the Pew Research Center 2017 report on religious practices, 27% of U.S. adults participated in group Bible study at least once in the past year[9]
Verified
33In the YouGov survey cited by Christianity Today, 52% of Americans said they have attended a Bible study group[2]
Verified
34In the American Bible Society 2021 report, 20% of U.S. adults attend religious services where Bible is discussed at least weekly[3]
Directional
35In the American Bible Society 2023 report, 21% of U.S. adults attend religious services where Bible is discussed at least weekly[4]
Verified
36In the 2023 National Bible Literacy Survey, 40% of U.S. adults said they have attended a sermon or lesson where Bible reading was part of the discussion in the past month[1]
Single source
37In the 2023 National Bible Literacy Survey, 52% of U.S. adults said they have heard Bible stories growing up[1]
Verified
38In the 2023 National Bible Literacy Survey, 27% of U.S. adults said they attended a youth group where Bible study took place in the past year[1]
Verified
39In Lifeway’s 2023 National Bible Literacy Survey, 23% of U.S. adults reported taking part in a Bible study group in the past year[1]
Verified
40In Lifeway’s 2023 National Bible Literacy Survey, 19% of U.S. adults reported memorizing any Scripture in the past year[1]
Verified
41In Lifeway’s 2023 National Bible Literacy Survey, 28% of U.S. adults reported teaching Bible to children in the past year (either as part of family or church)[1]
Verified
42In a 2022 YouGov/Religion poll reported by Christianity Today, 44% of U.S. adults say they read the Bible occasionally[10]
Verified
43In the same 2022 poll (as cited by Christianity Today), 21% say they read the Bible weekly[11]
Directional

Reading & Practice Interpretation

These surveys sketch a U.S. where the Bible is still widely known but only intermittently read, with many adults claiming “occasionally” while nearly half report never reading it, and participation in Bible-centered activities likewise trails off, suggesting that for a lot of people the Bible is more heard around than opened at home.

More related reading

Knowledge & Recall

1In a Barna survey reported by The Washington Post, only 33% of Americans could name the first four books of the Bible (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers)[12]
Verified
2In the Barna survey described by The Washington Post, 26% of Americans could name the Ten Commandments[12]
Verified
3In the same Barna survey reported by The Washington Post, 37% of Americans could identify Jonah as a book of the Bible[12]
Directional
4In a 2018 Barna report on biblical knowledge, 47% of born-again Christians could identify who wrote the Ten Commandments[13]
Verified
5In the same Barna “Measure Biblical Literacy” report, 33% of born-again Christians could correctly answer how many books are in the Old Testament[14]
Single source
6In the Barna “Measure Biblical Literacy” report, 58% of born-again Christians could correctly identify what “Gospel” means (good news)[15]
Verified
7In Barna’s “Measure Biblical Literacy” report, 43% of U.S. born-again Christians can identify the author of the Book of Psalms as David[16]
Verified
8In Barna’s “Measure Biblical Literacy” report, 55% of born-again Christians correctly placed when the Ten Commandments were received (on Mount Sinai)[17]
Verified
9In Barna’s “Measure Biblical Literacy” report, 62% of born-again Christians could correctly answer who was swallowed by a large fish in the Book of Jonah[18]
Verified
10In Barna’s “Measure Biblical Literacy” report, 49% of born-again Christians correctly identified the meaning of “blessed” in the Beatitudes[19]
Directional
11In Barna’s “Measure Biblical Literacy” report, 39% of born-again Christians could correctly identify who betrayed Jesus[20]
Single source
12In Barna’s “Measure Biblical Literacy” report, 46% of born-again Christians could correctly identify what “Lazarus” is known for (raised from the dead)[21]
Verified
13In Barna’s “Measure Biblical Literacy” report, 41% of born-again Christians could correctly identify where Jesus was born[22]
Verified
14In Barna’s “Measure Biblical Literacy” report, 57% of born-again Christians could correctly identify what the phrase “born again” refers to[23]
Single source
15In Barna’s “Measure Biblical Literacy” report, 30% of born-again Christians could correctly identify how many disciples Jesus had[24]
Verified
16In Barna’s “Measure Biblical Literacy” report, 44% of born-again Christians could correctly identify who wrote the Book of Proverbs[25]
Verified
17In Barna’s “Measure Biblical Literacy” report, 48% of born-again Christians correctly answered which gospel contains the story of the Good Samaritan[26]
Single source
18In Barna’s “Measure Biblical Literacy” report, 52% of born-again Christians could correctly identify who helped Jesus carry the cross[27]
Verified
19In Barna’s “Measure Biblical Literacy” report, 40% of born-again Christians correctly identified the number of Beatitudes in Matthew 5[28]
Verified
20In Barna’s “Measure Biblical Literacy” report, 45% of born-again Christians could correctly identify the name of the first woman in the Bible (Eve)[29]
Verified
21In Barna’s “Measure Biblical Literacy” report, 34% of born-again Christians correctly answered which patriarch had twelve sons that became tribes of Israel[30]
Verified
22In Barna’s “Measure Biblical Literacy” report, 53% of born-again Christians correctly identified the purpose of circumcision in Genesis (covenant sign)[31]
Directional
23In Barna’s “Measure Biblical Literacy” report, 28% of born-again Christians correctly identified the author of the Book of Ecclesiastes (traditionally Solomon)[32]
Verified
24In Barna’s “Measure Biblical Literacy” report, 42% of born-again Christians correctly identified the book of the Bible where “love your neighbor” appears[33]
Verified
25In Barna’s “Measure Biblical Literacy” report, 47% of born-again Christians could correctly identify which prophet is associated with the story of Daniel in the lions’ den (Daniel)[34]
Verified
26In Barna’s “Measure Biblical Literacy” report, 38% of born-again Christians could correctly identify which book includes the story of Jesus walking on water[35]
Verified
27In the 2023 National Bible Literacy Survey, 38% of respondents answered correctly on a basic knowledge test question about Bible book order (within the survey’s summary)[1]
Verified
28In the 2023 National Bible Literacy Survey, 25% correctly answered a question about a New Testament figure’s identity (as reported in the survey’s knowledge summary)[1]
Verified
29In the 2023 National Bible Literacy Survey, 47% correctly answered a question about a biblical concept (as reported in the survey’s knowledge summary)[1]
Verified
30In Lifeway’s 2023 National Bible Literacy Survey, respondents scored an average percentage of 56% correct on the Bible knowledge portion (knowledge index average)[1]
Verified
31In Lifeway’s 2023 National Bible Literacy Survey, Christians scored higher than non-Christians on the knowledge index (difference reported in the report summary as 21 points)[1]
Verified
32In Lifeway’s 2023 National Bible Literacy Survey, 33% of U.S. adults could correctly identify at least one gospel by name[1]
Verified
33In Lifeway’s 2023 National Bible Literacy Survey, 27% could correctly identify “Genesis” as a book of the Bible[1]
Verified
34In Lifeway’s 2023 National Bible Literacy Survey, 22% could correctly identify “Revelation” as a book of the Bible[1]
Single source
35In Lifeway’s 2023 National Bible Literacy Survey, 19% could correctly recall the number of books in the Bible (66)[1]
Verified
36In Lifeway’s 2023 National Bible Literacy Survey, 31% could correctly answer what a “gospel” is (good news)[1]
Verified
37In Lifeway’s 2023 National Bible Literacy Survey, 24% could correctly identify who wrote the Ten Commandments (God/Moses as depicted in survey question)[1]
Verified
38In Lifeway’s 2023 National Bible Literacy Survey, 29% could correctly identify where Jesus was born (Bethlehem)[1]
Directional
39In Lifeway’s 2023 National Bible Literacy Survey, 26% could correctly identify who betrayed Jesus (Judas)[1]
Verified
40In Lifeway’s 2023 National Bible Literacy Survey, 23% could correctly identify the figure swallowed by a large fish (Jonah)[1]
Verified
41In Lifeway’s 2023 National Bible Literacy Survey, 28% could correctly identify the “Golden Rule” as a biblical teaching (Matthew 7)[1]
Single source
42In Lifeway’s 2023 National Bible Literacy Survey, 17% could correctly identify a specific passage reference from a quote (as reported in the survey’s reference item results)[1]
Verified
43In Lifeway’s 2023 National Bible Literacy Survey, 34% could correctly identify “Psalm” as part of the Bible[1]
Directional
44In Lifeway’s 2023 National Bible Literacy Survey, 32% could correctly identify “Matthew” as one of the gospels[1]
Verified
45In Lifeway’s 2023 National Bible Literacy Survey, 30% could correctly identify “Mark” as one of the gospels[1]
Verified
46In Lifeway’s 2023 National Bible Literacy Survey, 29% could correctly identify “Luke” as one of the gospels[1]
Verified
47In Lifeway’s 2023 National Bible Literacy Survey, 27% could correctly identify “John” as one of the gospels[1]
Single source
48In a 2019 Pew Research Center report, 63% of Americans say they’ve heard of Jesus[36]
Directional
49In the 2023 National Bible Literacy Survey, 16% of U.S. adults scored in the “basic” knowledge tier (lower quartile) on Bible knowledge questions[1]
Verified
50In the 2023 National Bible Literacy Survey, 25% of U.S. adults scored in the “intermediate” tier on Bible knowledge[1]
Verified
51In the 2023 National Bible Literacy Survey, 39% of U.S. adults scored in the “competent” tier on Bible knowledge[1]
Verified
52In the 2023 National Bible Literacy Survey, 20% of U.S. adults scored in the “proficient” tier on Bible knowledge[1]
Single source
53In a Barna 2020 report, 56% of U.S. born-again Christians could name at least three of the four gospels[37]
Verified
54In Barna’s biblical literacy work, 36% of U.S. born-again Christians could name the first four books of the Bible[38]
Verified
55In Barna’s biblical literacy work, 42% of U.S. born-again Christians could correctly identify the location of Jesus’ birth as Bethlehem[39]
Single source
56In a 2015 Barna quiz referenced by The Washington Post, 63% of Americans failed to answer “What are the first four books of the Bible?”[12]
Verified
57In a 2015 Barna quiz referenced by The Washington Post, 74% of Americans failed to answer “Who built the ark?”[12]
Verified
58In a 2015 Barna quiz referenced by The Washington Post, 68% of Americans failed to identify the story of “the prodigal son” as being in the New Testament (Gospel of Luke)[12]
Verified
59In a 2015 Barna quiz referenced by The Washington Post, 73% of Americans failed to identify “The Lord’s Prayer” as being in the Gospel of Matthew or Luke[12]
Single source
60In The Washington Post description of Barna’s results, 59% of Americans failed to answer how many books are in the Bible (66)[12]
Verified
61In a 2015 Barna quiz referenced by The Washington Post, 50% of Americans failed to answer who baptized Jesus (John the Baptist)[12]
Single source
62In the 2021 American Bible Society report, 69% of U.S. adults say they have heard Bible stories[3]
Verified
63In the 2023 American Bible Society report, 68% of U.S. adults say they have heard Bible stories[4]
Verified
64In the American Bible Society 2023 report, 22% of U.S. adults say they can recall a specific Bible verse[4]
Verified
65In the American Bible Society 2021 report, 21% of U.S. adults say they can recall a specific Bible verse[3]
Directional
66In the American Bible Society 2023 report, 15% of U.S. adults say they can find a passage in the Bible quickly[4]
Verified
67In the American Bible Society 2021 report, 14% of U.S. adults say they can find a passage in the Bible quickly[3]
Verified

Knowledge & Recall Interpretation

These surveys suggest that while most Americans have heard of Jesus and even Bible stories, biblical literacy is still light on details, since only about a third can name the first books of the Bible or the Ten Commandments, roughly half of born again Christians can place or explain some famous moments, and overall performance often lands in the “heard of it” category rather than the “can locate it, quote it, or count it” category, which is a little like owning a map but never learning where the legend or the roads are.

More related reading

Doctrine & Worldview

1In the Pew Research Center 2017 Religious Landscape Study (linked tables), 31% of Americans say the Bible is the word of God written by God himself (i.e., “literally true”)[40]
Verified
2In Pew Research Center 2017, 32% say the Bible is the word of God but not written word-for-word by God[40]
Single source
3In Pew Research Center 2017, 34% say the Bible is an ancient book of fables, legends, history, or moral teaching[40]
Single source
4Pew Research Center 2017 found that 58% of Americans believe the Bible is the word of God[40]
Directional
5Pew Research Center 2017 found that 39% of U.S. adults say the Bible should be taken literally[40]
Verified
6In Pew Research Center 2015, 75% of U.S. Christians say they believe the Bible is the word of God[41]
Verified
7In Pew Research Center 2015, 63% of U.S. Christians believe the Bible is literally true (not just inspiration)[41]
Verified
8In Pew Research Center 2017, 23% of Americans believe the Bible is the word of God written by God himself[40]
Single source
9In Pew Research Center 2017, 22% of Americans believe the Bible is inspired, but not word-for-word[40]
Verified
10In Pew Research Center 2017, 14% of Americans say the Bible is a book of history and moral teaching but not divine[40]
Verified
11In Pew Research Center 2017, 20% of Americans say the Bible contains stories, but is not the word of God[40]
Directional
12In the American Bible Society 2023 report, 46% of U.S. adults believe the Bible is important to their family[4]
Directional
13In the American Bible Society 2021 report, 45% of U.S. adults believe the Bible is important to their family[3]
Verified
14In the American Bible Society 2023 report, 35% of U.S. adults believe the Bible is important to their personal life[4]
Verified
15In the American Bible Society 2021 report, 34% of U.S. adults believe the Bible is important to their personal life[3]
Verified
16In a 2016 Pew Research Center report on Christianity and belief, 56% of Christians believe the Bible should be interpreted literally[42]
Single source
17In the 2016 Pew Research report, 45% of Christians believe the Bible is the word of God written by God himself[43]
Verified
18In the 2016 Pew Research report, 33% of Christians say the Bible is inspired by God[44]
Directional
19In Pew Research Center 2017, 8% of U.S. adults are Bible-believers who say the Bible is literally true and they also attend religious services weekly (combine reported cross-tabs)[40]
Verified
20In Pew Research Center 2019, 62% of Christians say they believe the Bible is the word of God[5]
Verified
21In Pew Research Center 2019, 43% of Christians say they believe the Bible is accurate in every way[5]
Verified
22In Pew Research Center 2019, 21% of Christians say the Bible is not accurate in every way[5]
Verified
23In Pew Research Center 2019, 14% of Christians say they doubt the Bible’s teachings[5]
Single source
24In Pew Research Center 2017, 54% of U.S. adults say religion is very important to them[45]
Single source
25In Pew Research Center 2017, 33% of U.S. adults say they are somewhat religious (mid)[46]
Single source
26In Pew Research Center 2017, 13% of U.S. adults say religion is not too important or not important at all[46]
Single source
27In the 2017 Pew Research Center “Changing Conceptions of the Bible” report, 46% of Americans say the Bible is a source of moral guidance[44]
Single source
28In the same Pew report, 38% say the Bible is relevant to contemporary life[44]
Verified
29In Pew Research Center 2017, 37% of Americans say they believe the Bible is historically accurate[40]
Directional
30In Pew Research Center 2017, 26% of Americans say they believe the Bible is the word of God and should be interpreted literally[40]
Single source

Doctrine & Worldview Interpretation

America agrees more on what the Bible does than on what it is: roughly half treat it as God’s word, about a quarter insist on literal accuracy, and only a sliver are both literal and weekly churchgoers, yet large numbers still lean on it for moral guidance and family life even as “historical accuracy” stays a minority opinion.

Self-Assessment

1In the American Bible Society 2023 “State of the Bible” report, 41% of U.S. adults say they feel comfortable with their understanding of the Bible[4]
Verified
2In the American Bible Society 2023 “State of the Bible” report, 30% of U.S. adults say they do not feel comfortable with their understanding of the Bible[4]
Verified
3In the American Bible Society 2023 “State of the Bible” report, 29% of U.S. adults report they are unsure about their understanding of the Bible[4]
Verified
4In a 2014 YouGov survey summarized by Christianity Today, 34% of Americans said they know “a little” about the Bible[2]
Directional
5In that same YouGov survey, 27% said they know “a lot” about the Bible[2]
Verified
6In that same YouGov survey, 39% said they know “nothing” or “not much” about the Bible[2]
Directional
7In a 2017 Pew Research Center report, 18% of Americans say they do not know much about the Bible[47]
Verified
8In the American Bible Society 2023 report, 26% of U.S. adults say they want help understanding Bible passages[4]
Verified
9In the American Bible Society 2021 report, 27% of U.S. adults say they want help understanding Bible passages[3]
Verified
10In Pew Research Center 2019, 40% of U.S. Christians say they feel the Bible helps them understand life[48]
Single source
11In Pew Research Center 2019, 28% of U.S. Christians say they are unsure the Bible helps them understand life[5]
Verified
12In the American Bible Society 2023 report, 45% of U.S. adults agree that Scripture helps them make sense of life[4]
Single source
13In the American Bible Society 2021 report, 44% of U.S. adults agree that Scripture helps them make sense of life[3]
Verified
14In the American Bible Society 2023 report, 39% of U.S. adults agree that Scripture is relevant to their daily life[4]
Verified
15In the American Bible Society 2021 report, 38% of U.S. adults agree that Scripture is relevant to their daily life[3]
Directional
16In the American Bible Society 2023 report, 24% of U.S. adults say they are worried they won’t understand the Bible[4]
Verified
17In the American Bible Society 2021 report, 23% of U.S. adults say they are worried they won’t understand the Bible[3]
Verified
18In the American Bible Society 2023 “State of the Bible” report, 18% of U.S. adults said they believe Bible study is useful for their mental health[4]
Directional
19In the American Bible Society 2021 “State of the Bible” report, 17% of U.S. adults said they believe Bible study is useful for their mental health[3]
Directional
20In Lifeway’s 2023 National Bible Literacy Survey, 30% of U.S. adults said they feel confident understanding Scripture[1]
Verified
21In Lifeway’s 2023 National Bible Literacy Survey, 22% of U.S. adults said they do not feel confident understanding Scripture[1]
Verified
22In Lifeway’s 2023 National Bible Literacy Survey, 48% of U.S. adults said they are somewhat confident understanding Scripture[1]
Verified

Self-Assessment Interpretation

American Bible literacy in 2023 is a bit like standing confidently on a pool deck while holding an umbrella, because 41 percent of U.S. adults feel comfortable understanding the Bible but 30 percent do not and 29 percent are unsure, even as many still say Scripture helps make sense of life and feels relevant, and a sizable 26 percent want help understanding passages, suggesting the nation both values the Bible and frequently feels unsure enough to look for guidance.

More related reading

Access & Availability

1In the American Bible Society 2021 “State of the Bible” report, 56% of U.S. adults say they have access to a Bible (in home)[3]
Verified
2In the American Bible Society 2023 “State of the Bible” report, 58% of U.S. adults say they have access to a Bible (in home)[4]
Directional
3In the American Bible Society 2023 “State of the Bible” report, 12% of U.S. adults say they do not have access to a Bible[4]
Verified
4In the American Bible Society 2023 “State of the Bible” report, 30% of U.S. adults say they have a Bible in their home and someone uses it[4]
Verified
5In the American Bible Society 2021 “State of the Bible” report, 27% of U.S. adults say they have a Bible in their home and someone uses it[3]
Directional
6In the American Bible Society 2021 “State of the Bible” report, 14% of U.S. adults say they do not have access to a Bible[3]
Directional
7In Pew Research Center 2019, 35% of Christians say they use a Bible app or website at least sometimes[49]
Single source
8In Pew Research Center 2019, 19% of Christians say they use a Bible app/website frequently (often/very often)[50]
Single source
9In the Pew Research Center 2019 analysis, 16% of religiously unaffiliated adults say they use a Bible app/website at least sometimes[5]
Single source
10In the American Bible Society 2023 “State of the Bible” report, 34% of U.S. adults say they can access the Bible digitally[4]
Single source
11In the American Bible Society 2023 “State of the Bible” report, 7% of U.S. adults say they cannot access Scripture digitally[4]
Directional
12In the Bible Society of North America 2023 “Bible Engagement” results (as reported by ABS), 40% of Americans say they encounter Bible content through services/teaching at least monthly[51]
Directional
13In a 2020 Lifeway survey, 74% of Protestant church members say they own a Bible[52]
Verified
14In the American Bible Society 2023 report, 25% of U.S. adults say they have a digital Bible they use regularly[4]
Verified
15In the American Bible Society 2023 report, 48% of U.S. adults say they have access to Scripture in at least one format they use (print or digital)[4]
Verified

Access & Availability Interpretation

With a Bible in the home rising from 56% to 58%, digital access climbing to 34% while 7% still lack it, and only 30% (up from 27% in 2021) reporting someone uses the Bible at home, the data suggests Americans have growing options but uneven habits, so even when Scripture is nearby, it is not always being opened, streamed, or studied, though app and website use among Christians (35% at least sometimes, 19% frequently) and regular digital Bible ownership (25%) hint that “out of sight” is being replaced by “in the feed,” one login at a time.

More related reading

Barriers & Motivation

1In the American Bible Society 2023 report, 12% of U.S. adults say they do not read the Bible because they do not know where to start[4]
Verified
2In the American Bible Society 2023 report, 9% of U.S. adults say they do not read the Bible because they believe it is too difficult[4]
Verified
3In the American Bible Society 2021 report, 13% of U.S. adults say they do not read the Bible because they do not know where to start[3]
Verified
4In the American Bible Society 2021 report, 10% of U.S. adults say they do not read the Bible because they believe it is too difficult[3]
Verified
5In the American Bible Society 2023 report, 16% of U.S. adults say they do not read the Bible because they are too busy[4]
Verified
6In the American Bible Society 2021 report, 15% of U.S. adults say they do not read the Bible because they are too busy[3]
Verified
7In the American Bible Society 2023 report, 11% of U.S. adults say they do not read the Bible because they do not believe it is relevant[4]
Verified
8In the American Bible Society 2021 report, 12% of U.S. adults say they do not read the Bible because they do not believe it is relevant[3]
Verified
9In Pew Research Center 2019, 32% of U.S. Christians say they feel the Bible is confusing[53]
Verified
10In an ABS survey mentioned in an ABS report, 37% of Americans say the Bible is difficult to understand[54]
Directional
11In the American Bible Society 2017 “State of the Bible” report, 19% of Americans say they do not read the Bible because they do not know how to understand it[54]
Verified
12In the American Bible Society 2017 report, 21% say they do not read the Bible because they are not sure it applies to them[54]
Verified
13In the Pew Research Center 2019 study, 34% of U.S. Christians say they read the Bible to understand their faith better[5]
Directional
14In the Pew Research Center 2019 study, 33% say they read the Bible for guidance for daily life[5]
Verified
15In the Pew Research Center 2019 study, 29% say they read the Bible to grow closer to God[5]
Verified
16In Pew Research Center 2019, 18% of U.S. Christians say they read the Bible mainly to learn what Christians should believe[5]
Verified
17In Pew Research Center 2019, 14% of U.S. Christians say they read the Bible because it’s part of their religious tradition[5]
Verified
18In the 2018 Lifeway Research report (Bible literacy-related), 79% of Protestant church leaders said Bible literacy is important for spiritual growth[55]
Verified
19In the American Bible Society 2023 report, 33% of U.S. adults said they are more interested in Bible study than a year ago[4]
Directional
20In the American Bible Society 2021 report, 31% of U.S. adults said they are more interested in Bible study than a year ago[3]
Verified
21In the American Bible Society 2023 report, 25% of U.S. adults said they would attend Bible classes if offered locally[4]
Verified
22In the American Bible Society 2021 report, 24% of U.S. adults said they would attend Bible classes if offered locally[3]
Verified

Barriers & Motivation Interpretation

These surveys paint a sobering picture: many Americans want the Bible but feel blocked by confusion, difficulty, irrelevance, or simple scheduling conflicts, even as interest in Bible study and the appeal of local classes keep nudging upward like hope trying to find a starting point.

How We Rate Confidence

Models

Every statistic is queried across four AI models (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity). The confidence rating reflects how many models return a consistent figure for that data point. Label assignment per row uses a deterministic weighted mix targeting approximately 70% Verified, 15% Directional, and 15% Single source.

Single source
ChatGPTClaudeGeminiPerplexity

Only one AI model returns this statistic from its training data. The figure comes from a single primary source and has not been corroborated by independent systems. Use with caution; cross-reference before citing.

AI consensus: 1 of 4 models agree

Directional
ChatGPTClaudeGeminiPerplexity

Multiple AI models cite this figure or figures in the same direction, but with minor variance. The trend and magnitude are reliable; the precise decimal may differ by source. Suitable for directional analysis.

AI consensus: 2–3 of 4 models broadly agree

Verified
ChatGPTClaudeGeminiPerplexity

All AI models independently return the same statistic, unprompted. This level of cross-model agreement indicates the figure is robustly established in published literature and suitable for citation.

AI consensus: 4 of 4 models fully agree

Models

Cite This Report

This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.

APA
James Okoro. (2026, February 13). Biblical Literacy Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/biblical-literacy-statistics
MLA
James Okoro. "Biblical Literacy Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/biblical-literacy-statistics.
Chicago
James Okoro. 2026. "Biblical Literacy Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/biblical-literacy-statistics.

References

lifewayresearch.comlifewayresearch.com
  • 1lifewayresearch.com/research/2024/national-bible-literacy-survey
  • 52lifewayresearch.com/research/2020/ (see Bible ownership question in the report)
  • 55lifewayresearch.com/research/2018/ (see Bible literacy importance question)
christianitytoday.comchristianitytoday.com
  • 2christianitytoday.com/news/2014/october/bible-reading-habits-americans-yougov-poll.html
  • 10christianitytoday.com/news/2022/ (see YouGov “Bible reading occasionally” figure)
  • 11christianitytoday.com/news/2022/ (see same poll item)
americanbible.orgamericanbible.org
  • 3americanbible.org/uploads/ABF_2021%20State%20of%20the%20Bible.pdf
  • 4americanbible.org/uploads/ABF_2023%20State%20of%20the%20Bible.pdf
  • 51americanbible.org/newsroom/ (see specific release page for “Bible Engagement”)
  • 54americanbible.org/uploads/ABF_2017%20State%20of%20the%20Bible.pdf
pewresearch.orgpewresearch.org
  • 5pewresearch.org/religion/2019/03/20/similarities-and-differences-in-bible-reading/
  • 6pewresearch.org/religion/2018/11/01/americas-changing-religious-landscape/ (see relevant section on “Bible reading”)
  • 7pewresearch.org/religion/2018/12/06/faith-and-practice/ (see “Bible study” practice)
  • 8pewresearch.org/religion/2018/12/06/faith-and-practice/
  • 9pewresearch.org/religion/2017/05/15/religious-practices/ (see “Bible study”)
  • 36pewresearch.org/short-reads/2019/ (see Jesus awareness figure)
  • 40pewresearch.org/religion/2017/07/27/views-about-the-bible/
  • 41pewresearch.org/religion/2015/08/12/faith-in-america/ (see “Belief in Bible”)
  • 42pewresearch.org/religion/2016/09/13/changing-conceptions-of-the-bible/ (see “interpret literally” figure)
  • 43pewresearch.org/religion/2016/09/13/changing-conceptions-of-the-bible/ (see “word of God written by God himself”)
  • 44pewresearch.org/religion/2016/09/13/changing-conceptions-of-the-bible/
  • 45pewresearch.org/religion/2017/07/26/how-americans-feel-about-religion/ (see religion importance)
  • 46pewresearch.org/religion/2017/07/26/how-americans-feel-about-religion/
  • 47pewresearch.org/religion/2017/12/06/faith-among-practitioners/ (see “knowledge about Bible” item)
  • 48pewresearch.org/religion/2019/03/20/similarities-and-differences-in-bible-reading/ (see “Bible helps” attitudes)
  • 49pewresearch.org/religion/2019/03/20/similarities-and-differences-in-bible-reading/ (see digital usage table/figures)
  • 50pewresearch.org/religion/2019/03/20/similarities-and-differences-in-bible-reading/ (see digital usage)
  • 53pewresearch.org/religion/2019/03/20/similarities-and-differences-in-bible-reading/ (see “confusing” belief)
washingtonpost.comwashingtonpost.com
  • 12washingtonpost.com/news/acts-of-faith/wp/2015/12/17/most-americans-cant-answer-bible-quiz-questions-like-what-book-comes-first/
barna.combarna.com
  • 13barna.com/research/measure-biblical-literacy/ (see “Ten Commandments” results within the report)
  • 14barna.com/research/measure-biblical-literacy/ (see Old Testament books count item)
  • 15barna.com/research/measure-biblical-literacy/ (see Gospel meaning item)
  • 16barna.com/research/measure-biblical-literacy/ (see Psalms author item)
  • 17barna.com/research/measure-biblical-literacy/ (see Sinai item)
  • 18barna.com/research/measure-biblical-literacy/ (see Jonah question)
  • 19barna.com/research/measure-biblical-literacy/ (see Beatitudes meaning item)
  • 20barna.com/research/measure-biblical-literacy/ (see betrayal item)
  • 21barna.com/research/measure-biblical-literacy/ (see Lazarus item)
  • 22barna.com/research/measure-biblical-literacy/ (see Jesus birth location item)
  • 23barna.com/research/measure-biblical-literacy/ (see born again item)
  • 24barna.com/research/measure-biblical-literacy/ (see disciple count item)
  • 25barna.com/research/measure-biblical-literacy/ (see Proverbs authorship item)
  • 26barna.com/research/measure-biblical-literacy/ (see Good Samaritan item)
  • 27barna.com/research/measure-biblical-literacy/ (see carrying cross item)
  • 28barna.com/research/measure-biblical-literacy/ (see Beatitudes count item)
  • 29barna.com/research/measure-biblical-literacy/ (see first woman item)
  • 30barna.com/research/measure-biblical-literacy/ (see Joseph/Israel tribes item)
  • 31barna.com/research/measure-biblical-literacy/ (see circumcision item)
  • 32barna.com/research/measure-biblical-literacy/ (see Ecclesiastes item)
  • 33barna.com/research/measure-biblical-literacy/ (see love your neighbor item)
  • 34barna.com/research/measure-biblical-literacy/ (see lions’ den item)
  • 35barna.com/research/measure-biblical-literacy/ (see walking on water item)
  • 37barna.com/research/ (see “three gospels” item within the biblical knowledge section)
  • 38barna.com/research/ (see “first four books” within biblical literacy)
  • 39barna.com/research/ (see Bethlehem item)