some of the most popular content on this site was not written by me or any of the writers who write for this site.
The most popular content on this site is taken directly from the most popular book ever published.
what book? the bible.
The Bible is a powerful collection of writings. it has the power to change lives, give hope, inspire and encourage. it instructs and edifies, and gives us a sense of wonder. is an adventure story and a love letter to all of us. it is a story of the fall of humanity and its redemption by a savior.
God’s word is a living book, written directly for us and by us, and it applies today just as it did when it was written hundreds of years ago.
because the word of god is living and active. sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates to the division of soul and spirit, joints and marrow; judge the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Hebrews 4:12
why is it so important to read the bible?
As a Christian, I believe it is crucial to be constantly in God’s word. Here’s why it’s so important:
- reading the bible helps us to know god: the bible tells us about god, gives us an idea of the character of god and answers our questions about who he is and how he has saved from sin.
- the bible helps us to know the will of god for our lives: the message of eternal salvation is vital to the scriptures, but the bible also reveals much more About how God wants us to live. we see recorded examples of biblical figures and how they lived, and we see what pleases god and what doesn’t.
- reading god’s word helps us see the big picture god has planned for us : Knowing the scriptures and making them the final authority in your life can help you live the good life that God has planned for you and protect you against the attacks that the evil one comes your way.
all scripture is inspired by god and useful to teach, to reprove, to correct and to instruct in righteousness, so that the man of god may be perfect, equipped for every good work 2 timothy 3:16-17
12 places to get free bibles
We know that the Bible should be an important part of the spiritual life of every Christian. Even if you’re not a Christian, reading the Bible can give you some useful insights (for example, about money) and make you think about things in ways you may not have had before. I encourage you to get a bible and explore these ancient and living writings.
if you want to get a physical copy of god’s word, there are many places where you can get a free bible.
a Christian church near you
Probably one of the first places you can go to find a bible is your local church. Most churches will have bibles available that you can take with you, either a smaller pocket version or a larger study bible.
To find a church near you (if you don’t already have one), check out a church directory like this one. when you attend, ask if they have a bible you can take with you.
your city library
You may not realize it, but your local library will almost always have a bible for you to use. they will often have multiple copies, and some of them will be fancy study bibles, or versions or translations you may not have read before.
sometimes they even have free copies available that you can keep. call your local library and they can tell you.
BiblesforAmerica.org
bibles for america will send a free copy of the recovery version of the bible. this version was first published in 1985 by living stream ministry, and the one they send will be just a new testament.
A copy will be sent to you free of charge, postage paid.
freebible.net
since 2000, freebibles.net has mailed more than 30,000 bibles for free to homeless, sick, and incarcerated people.
are entirely a volunteer organization with 100% of financial donations going towards the purchase of bibles and postage. if you don’t qualify for one of their free bibles, they’ll link you to where you can find one at an affordable price.
myfreebiblia.org
spread the campaign: free bibles for those abroad
lesea’s spread the word program will provide a free bible for people abroad. The program was launched in 2000 and since then, more than 700,000 Bibles have been distributed.
if you’re a new believer in a place like egypt, colombia, iraq, solomon islands, malaysia, zambia, togo, austria, pakistan, and iran, they’ll do their best to send you a free bible!
the gideons international – your hotel nightstand
if you’ve ever stayed in a hotel, you know that almost every hotel room has a gideon bible in the nightstand drawer.
what you may not know is that those bibles are there for you to use or even keep if you wish. Bibles are replaced frequently and placed there for you to use, so don’t be shy.
The deeds are placed there by a group called gideons international, and in addition to hotels, you’ll find them in key places like hospitals, nursing homes, doctors’ offices, domestic violence shelters, prisons, and jails.
a friend or relative
If you have a friend or family member who is a Christian, in most cases they will have more than one bible in their home and will be happy to offer you one of them.
I know I have several and would love to gift one to a friend (or even a stranger!).
but jesus told him: “no! the scriptures say, ‘people do not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of god’. matthew 4:4
the book section of your thrift store
This one may be a bit out there, but sometimes you can go to your local thrift store and find a really good bible, either free or dirt cheap.
just head to your local thrift store, head to where they keep the books, and find a bible.
8 places to get a free online bible
While it’s great to have a physical copy of the Bible on hand to read, sometimes it can be more convenient to study the Bible on your laptop, phone, tablet, or other mobile device.
Here are some places you can go online (or on your computer or through a free Bible app) to read the Bible, digitally.
You Version – Free Bible App
youversion is the gold standard for online bibles with over 1774 versions of the bible in over 1248 languages.
they have the bible for your computer through the website (bible.com) and for your phone or tablet through their amazing free bible app.
full disclosure, I have been a heavy user of youversion for years, and even enjoy the many bible reading plans and studies they have available through their app.
entrance door of the bible
bible gateway is a searchable online bible in over 200 versions and 70 languages that you can freely read, research and consult anywhere. With an audio Bible library, mobile app, devotionals, email newsletters, and other free resources, Bible Gateway equips you not only to read the Bible, but to understand it.
Bible study tools
biblestudytools.com has a myriad of bible translations, I counted over 50 the last time I checked. they have just about any translation or version you can imagine, along with multiple commentaries, concordances, and even devotionals.
They give you virtually everything you need to further your study of the scriptures.
bible of blue letters
blueletterible.org has multiple translations available and allows you to search for certain topics, and even has devotionals you can use.
in the beginning was the word, and the word was with god, and the word was god. – John 1;1
biblica.com
biblica, the international bible society, has a searchable niv bible in a variety of different languages. Do you want to read a passage in Spanish and English at the same time? prepare them side by side with your tools.
studio light
studylight.org has a wealth of resources to help you study the scriptures, in addition to articles, historical writings, and pastoral resources.
audio treasure
audiotreasure.com has a library of free mp3 audio version of the bible, in various languages. download the .mp3 files, upload them to your favorite player on your phone or computer, and listen to the bible while you drive!
the online bible
onlinebible.net has free Bible software that you can download to use on your PC or Mac. It has multiple translations, commentaries, and more to help you study the scriptures. it also has support for displaying foreign languages.
get your deeds for free – a physical or digital copy
There are many places where you can get a free copy of the Bible, and in many different versions, translations, and languages. it’s just a matter of figuring out which one you want.
hopefully the bible you receive speaks to you and changes your life as much as it has mine.
Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ. – Romans 10:17
if you’re looking to make a change and want to accept jesus, check out this post that examines the truth about god, sin, jesus christ, and our response to him.
do you know other places to get a free bible? tell us in the comments.
more Bible verses to inspire and give hope
- bible verses about strength in difficult times
- bible verses about hope
- bible verses about money
- bible verses on investing
- encouraging bible verses
- bible verses on how to get rich quick
- bible verses on contentment
- bible verses about thanksgiving & appreciation
- bible verses about worry
- bible verses about wealth
frequently asked questions
Where can I get a free bible?
there are many places where you can get a free bible. Gideons place free bibles in hotels and often say “take the bible, not the towels” as they regularly replace one that is taken. You can also usually find a free bible at your local church, a variety of online Christian ministries, or you can read it through a variety of free websites and apps.
why do hotels have a bible?
the gideons international, an evangelical christian association founded in 1899 by two street vendors, provides complete bibles, new testaments or parts of them in more than 100 languages free of charge to hotels. as of 2015 they had provided more than 2 billion bibles. Each Gideon Bible costs the organization about $5 to print and distribute.
what is the most popular version of the bible?
13 percent of Americans say they’ve bought a bible in the past year, but what are they reading? according to one study, 55 percent read the king james version (kjv), 19 percent read the new international version (niv), and from there the percentages drop to single digits for competitors like the new revised standard version, new america bible, and the living bible.
what was the original version of the bible?
god gave the original revelation of the bible texts to some 40 different people over a span of 1600 years, and the last one, the book of revelation, was written more than 2000 years ago. it was first written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek. there are more than 5,000 complete or partial copies (copies of copies) of the originals, and to an amazing degree they agree with each other without major variations. because what we have are copies of so many different manuscripts, there is no one place where the “original bible” is kept, but ancient manuscripts are kept in many different museums around the world.
How much does a bible cost?
The first printed Gutenberg Bibles, of which Johannes Gutenberg printed approximately 180, were expensive. it was advance order only and averaged around 3 years of clerk salary. These days there are many organizations that offer a free bible, but if you buy a copy for yourself, a standard version of king james on amazon showed a price history ranging from a low of $11.25 to a high of $24.99 according to camelcamelcamel.com .
Which is the most accurate bible?
In general, most English translations will be better than 99.5% accurate, with minimal variation between them. Many scholars agree that the New American Standard Bible (NASB) is the most literal or closest English translation of the original Hebrew or Greek. Other scholars prefer translations based only on the Byzantine texts for the New Testament and avoid the Alexandrian texts, with the New King James Version (NKJV) being considered the most accurate.