Bible Sales in the UK: Record Numbers and What They Mean for the Church

UK Bible sales reached their highest level ever in 2025.

Total Bible reported sales in the UK reached £6.3 million — more than doubling in value since 2019, according to research by Christian publisher SPCK Group. The number sold jumped from 192,000 in 2019 to 396,000 in 2025. Between 2024 and 2025 alone, revenue grew by a quarter, with the number of copies sold growing even faster at 28%.

For context: between 2008 and 2019, annual Bible sales increased by just £277,000 in total over eleven years. The same growth that took over a decade now happens in a single year.

This is a significant moment for UK Christianity. Understanding what is driving it (and what it means for churches, for younger believers, and for the future) matters.

The numbers in full

An analysis of the number of physical Bibles sold showed a surge of 27.7 per cent in 2025, the biggest single-year increase on record, and a 106 per cent rise since 2019.

According to Nielsen BookScan data, UK Bible sales grew from £2.69 million in 2019 to £6.3 million in 2025. An increase of £3.61 million in just five years. In contrast, between 2008 and 2019, total yearly Bible sales increased by just £277,188.

The bestselling Bible translation in the UK across retailers in 2025 was the English Standard Version (ESV), published by Crossway.

The pattern is not limited to the UK. In the US, 2025 marked a 21-year high for Bible sales, with approximately 19 million copies sold - twice the total recorded in 2019. Sales were up 12% on 2024. Industry analysts in both countries say the surge suggests that buyers are not simply collecting religious texts but actively engaging with them. Publishers report increased demand for study Bibles, children's editions, and accessible formats designed for first-time readers.

Who is buying them, and why

Sam Richardson, CEO of SPCK Group, said that the increase in Bible sales is "evidence of a significant cultural shift regarding matters of faith and religion in this country." He added: "As we face worldwide political and social change — including the after-effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, global wars, the rise of AI, and a growing mental health crisis — individuals are re-engaging with questions of meaning and spirituality."

Richardson also noted: "Atheism, which seemed to be the default choice of Generation X, does not carry the same weight and appeal with younger generations."

The data on young people is striking. A YouGov poll found that the proportion of 18 to 25 year olds who believe in a higher power had risen from just 28 per cent in 2018 to 49 per cent in 2025, with Gen Z becoming the age group most likely to believe in God.

The 18 to 34 age group are now most likely to say they believe in God at least "to some extent", at 51 per cent, compared with 33 per cent of those aged 35 to 49. This is a remarkable reversal of a pattern that held for decades.

Aude Pasquier, Retail Sales Director at Church House bookshop in Westminster, commented that they have seen an increase in people coming to the Bible from scratch, with no Christian background. These are not lapsed Christians returning. Many are encountering Scripture for the first time.

Young people and the Church: the bigger picture

Bible sales do not exist in isolation. They are part of a broader pattern of renewed spiritual engagement among younger people in the UK.

Church attendance at Christmas 2025 showed 45 per cent of UK adults were planning to attend a church event or service, up from 40 per cent the previous year.

The number of young people attending church increased from 4% in 2018 to 16% in 2024. That is a fourfold increase in six years among the very demographic that many assumed was lost to the Church.

As Lauren Windle, Publishing Director at SPCK Group, observes: "Not only are people walking into churches, but they're also picking up Bibles. It's the progression that we as Christians hope for — people will connect with a faith community and be sufficiently intrigued that they decide to engage with the source material."

Research from the Policy Institute at King's College London found that people aged 18 to 34 are significantly more likely than older age groups to say they experience "profound awe or wonder at the universe" daily or weekly. 24 per cent of people who belong to a religion experience this awe every day, compared with only 10 per cent of those who do not.

This is a generation actively looking for meaning. Many are finding it in faith.

What people are actually buying

One of the most encouraging aspects of the Bible sales story is not just the volume but the variety. The range of Bibles being bought reflects a genuine breadth of engagement rather than a single demographic trend.

Study Bibles are growing strongly. HarperCollins Christian Publishing CEO Mark Schoenwald noted: "We just surpassed 10 million units of the NIV Study Bible. What that tells me is people are not just buying Bibles, but they're actually trying to read them and understand them and then apply them to their lives."

The ESV has become the UK market leader. Sam Richardson noted: "It is the more traditional-style Bible translations that are showing the biggest growth. The new market leader in 2025, the English Standard Version (ESV), is a direct descendant of the King James Bible, and retains much of its cadence." This suggests that among many new readers, the desire is not for a simplified or paraphrased text but for serious engagement with the words themselves.

Children's Bibles are also in strong demand. Publishers report increased demand for children's editions and accessible formats designed for first-time readers. Families are returning to Scripture together.

Journaling and creative editions continue to grow. The Hosanna Revival NLT Notetaking range and similar journalling formats have found a large audience among younger readers, many of whom approach Bible engagement as a creative and contemplative practice rather than a formal discipline.

This variety matters. It tells us that the people picking up Bibles are not a homogeneous group with a single need. They are students, seekers, parents, new believers, and lifelong Christians, each finding editions that serve the specific way they want to engage. The breadth of what is available, from the ESV Study Bible to a beautifully designed journalling edition, is itself part of why the moment feels significant.

Browse Bibles at Eden

What this means for the Church

For churches across the UK, the picture is genuinely encouraging. A generation that was predicted to abandon faith entirely is instead seeking it out. They are picking up Bibles from scratch, attending services for the first time, and asking serious questions about meaning, truth, and community.

This creates both an opportunity and a responsibility.

The opportunity is straightforward. Richardson noted that SPCK has seen an increase in people coming to the Bible with no Christian background — they are investigating the faith themselves and seeking to draw their own conclusions about its truth. Churches that are welcoming, well-resourced, and equipped to help new readers engage with Scripture are well-positioned to receive and nurture this interest.

The responsibility is equally clear. People who are genuinely curious about the Bible for the first time deserve good support in reading it. A study Bible with clear notes, a readable translation, a church community that takes questions seriously — these things make the difference between someone who dips in once and someone who keeps coming back.

SPCK, in its 327-year history, describes the current moment as "one of the most significant periods of growth in recent history", adding: "This surge in Bible engagement isn't just a passing trend — it's a sign of a deeper spiritual awakening."

It is worth saying honestly that not everyone reads these numbers the same way. Some analysts have suggested that part of the increase reflects existing Christians buying additional Bibles — new editions, journaling formats, gifts — rather than entirely new readers. Sam Richardson addressed this directly, writing that the sustained trend in sales "suggests that more and more people are investigating the Christian faith themselves and seeking to draw their own conclusions about its truth." The truth is likely that both things are happening simultaneously: existing Christians engaging more deeply with Scripture, and new readers coming to it for the first time. Both are causes for genuine encouragement.

Finding the right Bible

Whether you are new to the Bible or looking for an edition that serves a specific purpose, Eden stocks the full range across all major translations.

Use our Bible Finder to find the right Bible based on your translation preference, format, and how you plan to use it. Free UK delivery on orders over £15.

Browse all Bibles at Eden →

Frequently asked questions

How much have UK Bible sales increased? UK Bible sales reached £6.3 million in 2025, more than double the 2019 figure of £2.69 million. The number of Bibles sold grew from 192,000 to 396,000 in the same period — a 106% increase by volume.

What is the best-selling Bible in the UK? The English Standard Version (ESV), published by Crossway, was the bestselling Bible translation in the UK in 2025.

Are young people really returning to church? Church attendance among young adults rose from 4% in 2018 to 16% in 2024, according to data cited by SPCK Group. A YouGov poll found that the proportion of 18 to 25 year olds who believe in a higher power rose from 28% in 2018 to 49% in 2025.

What kinds of Bibles are people buying? Demand is growing across multiple categories: study Bibles, journalling editions, children's Bibles, and traditional-style translations like the ESV. The variety of what people are buying reflects a genuine breadth of new engagement with Scripture.

What is the "Quiet Revival"? The "Quiet Revival" is a term coined by the Bible Society to describe a sustained increase in church attendance and spiritual interest among younger generations in the UK, particularly Gen Z. It is widely referenced alongside the record Bible sales data as evidence of broader cultural change, though recent admission of incomplete data by gov. uk has caused this to be pulled back.

If you aren’t sure which Bible to get, there are a few ways we can help.

1. Try the Bible Finder: We’ve put together a simple way to filter down to the perfect Bible for you. Just choose a translation, pick the features you want and select a comfortable text size. You can try the Bible Finder here.
2. Read more from the Blog: We are always adding new guides, insights and articles that explore ways of understanding the different Bibles available today, as well as how to make your decision. Read our Bible posts today
3. Read our Book: Over the years, we’ve explored hundreds of topics and questions about knowing which Bible to get. We’ve compiled all that information into an easy-to-read eBook that is completely free to download. Download our book “How to Choose Your Bible” today.

Articles cited:

Bible Sales Surge Among Gen Z: SPCK's Role In The Growing Demand by Laura Barry, SPCK Publishing

Bible sales have hit record highs in Britain – and I’ve got 3 theories on what’s driving the increase by Lauren Windle, Premier

UK Bible Sales Are Up 134% Since 2019 by Laura Barry, SPCK Publishing

More Bible sales do not equal more Christians by Humanists UK

‘It’s younger people seeking some sort of spirituality’: UK Bible sales reach record high by Sinéad Campbell, Guardian

Bible Sales Are Surging — and It’s a Sign of Something Bigger by Rachel Jordan-Wolf, HopeTogether