Nearly Half of Americans Say They Have Read at Least Half the Bible, Survey Finds

Nearly half of Americans say they have read at least half of the Bible, but only about a quarter qualify as active readers, according to a new survey released by the American Bible Society.

The report, State of the Bible USA 2026, is based on responses from 2,649 adults surveyed between Jan. 8 and Jan. 27. It found that 48 percent of respondents said they had read half or more of the Bible. Within that group, 17 percent reported reading the entire text, another 17 percent said they had read most of it, and 14 percent said they had read about half. By contrast, 35 percent said they had read only a small portion, while 7 percent were unsure how much they had read.

The findings suggest that a surge in Bible engagement seen in 2025 has begun to subside. John Farquhar Plake, editor in chief of the State of the Bible series, said usage in 2026 has returned to levels seen in 2024.

“Last year, we saw increases in Bible reading, Bible sales and conversations about spiritual renewal,” Mr. Plake said. “This year, overall Bible use and engagement with Scripture have settled back to 2024 levels.”

The American Bible Society defines “active users” as those who read the Bible at least once a week outside of religious services, while “occasional users” read it three to four times a year. The survey found that 42 percent of Americans never use the Bible, 13 percent use it less than once a year, and 7 percent use it only once or twice annually. About 25 percent fall into the active category.

At the same time, a group described as the “Bible Curious,” or the “Movable Middle” — people open to the Bible but not yet actively engaged — has grown to 28 percent of the population, an increase of roughly 9 million people since 2024.

“Even as engagement declines, the number of Americans who are interested in and open to the Bible has grown over the past two years,” Mr. Plake said.

The findings align with other research pointing to a nuanced religious landscape. A 2025 report by the Barna Group found that weekly Bible reading among U.S. adults rebounded to 42 percent, up from a 15-year low in 2024, with Generation Z and Millennials driving much of the increase.

Meanwhile, a 2025 Pew Research Center survey reported that 44 percent of Americans consider the Bible “very important” or “important” in their lives. The American Bible Society also noted that print editions remain the dominant format, with about 80 percent of active readers using a physical Bible at least once a month.

Researchers say the overall picture reflects a complex relationship between Americans and the Bible: while usage has dipped, openness and interest — particularly among those in the middle — appear to be on the rise. []