Reasons adults give for increased Bible reading
Percent of U.S. adults reporting an increase in Bible readership, 2017 (in percent)
Key finding
Highest: Bible reading is an important part of faith journey (56%). Lowest: Asked by someone they know to read the Bible (20%).
- Bible reading is an important part of faith journey: 56%
- Difficult life experience led them to search the Bible: 39%
- Saw the Bible change someone they knew for the better: 30%
Source: Barna Group, State of the Bible 2017: Top Findings · Telephone survey of 1,025 adults plus online survey of 1,028 adults, fielded in 2017. Article published 2024-01-05.
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Questions about this statistic
What does this statistic show?
Highest: Bible reading is an important part of faith journey (56%). Lowest: Asked by someone they know to read the Bible (20%). Bible reading is an important part of faith journey: 56%. Difficult life experience led them to search the Bible: 39%. Saw the Bible change someone they knew for the better: 30%.
Who published this data?
Barna Group, 2017. Source: Barna Group, State of the Bible 2017: Top Findings (https://www.barna.com/research/state-bible-2017-top-findings/).
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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.