Christians are celebrating the news that Bible sales increased 22 percent from last year, with the boost seemingly being driven by first-time buyers. The Wall Street Journal reported that Bible sales had increased from 9.7 million in 2019 to 14.2 million in 2023. As of October of this year, Bible sales were at 13.7 million, ahead of last year’s pace. The increase is even more impressive given that overall print book sales are only up 1 percent. Publishers believe the increase is due in part to the number of new editions that are now available, as well as a growing curiosity about Jesus amongst young people. The 2023 State of the Bible showed that amongst Gen Zers aged 18-21, 56 percent stated they were curious about Jesus and/ or the Bible.

Jeff Crosby of the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association told WSJ he believed some of the growth was due to growing uncertainty and anxiety, particularly during an election year. “People are experiencing anxiety themselves, or they’re worried for their children and grandchildren. It’s related to artificial intelligence, election cycles … and all of that feeds a desire for assurance that we’re going to be OK,” he said. Speaking to Fox Business, Alex Jones, CEO of the popular Bible app Hallow, which seeks to encourage prayer and Bible reading, said he is seeing more and more people come to faith for the first time, as well as many who are returning. “I think God is doing something really cool, it’s exciting to be a part of this,” he said. Hallow has also drawn in a number of celebrities to read prayers for the app, including Mark Wahlberg, The Chosen’s Jonathan Roumie, Kevin James, and Gwen Stefani. Influencer Cely Vazquez did a stream online, buying her own first Bible. “I felt something was missing. It’s a combination of where we are in the world, general anxiety and the sense that meaning and comfort can be found in the Bible,” she said.

The news of increased Bible sales was lauded on social media. “Bible sales up 22 percent. Young men are more religious than young women for the first time since pollsters started tracking. Good trend lines. The kind of trend lines that could restore a nation,” wrote Megan Basham, author of Shepherds for Sale. “Bible sales up 22 percent. Something is happening in our nation,” wrote Josh Howerton, senior pastor of Lakepointe Church in Texas. “Tectonic plates shifting. I pray we are the Prodigal Nation who ‘went to a far country’, gloried in degradation and lies and found ourselves in pig slop, but are coming to our senses and headed to home to the Father.”