How much of the Bible Americans have read
Percent of Americans, 2017 (in percent)
Key finding
Highest: Read at least half (15%). Lowest: Read it through multiple times (9%).
- Read at least half: 15%
- Read almost all: 12%
- Read the entire Bible once: 11%
Source: Lifeway Research, Lifeway Research: Americans Are Fond of the Bible, Don’t Actually Read It · Lifeway Research survey of 1,000 Americans about their views of the Bible. Article published 2017-04-25.
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Questions about this statistic
What does this statistic show?
Highest: Read at least half (15%). Lowest: Read it through multiple times (9%). Read at least half: 15%. Read almost all: 12%. Read the entire Bible once: 11%.
Who published this data?
Lifeway Research, 2017. Source: Lifeway Research, Lifeway Research: Americans Are Fond of the Bible, Don’t Actually Read It (https://research.lifeway.com/2017/04/25/lifeway-research-americans-are-fond-of-the-bible-dont-actually-read-it/).
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More Bible & Discipleship statistics
- Americans in the Movable Middle, curious about the Bible American Bible Society, 2026
- Americans who have not read any of the Bible American Bible Society, 2026
- Churches with an intentional plan for discipling individuals Lifeway Research, 2026
- Adults who are Bible users Barna Group, 2018
- Adults who believe the Bible has transformed their life Barna Group, 2018
- Americans curious to know more about the Bible Lifeway Research, 2018
About this data
Leader Insights collects statistics about U.S. churches from published research by organizations such as Lifeway Research, Barna Group, Springtide, the American Bible Society and PRRI. Every number is checked against the wording of the original source before it is published, and each statistic links back to the study it came from. Figures are reproduced from the publishers named above; see the source for full methodology.