“I’ll just look on Amazon.”
I can’t count how many times I’ve said that in my day-to-day life. Can’t find something at Walmart? Check Amazon. Think a product is too expensive? Compare it to Amazon’s prices. Don’t feel like going to the store? Don’t worry, Amazon has groceries, too.
Amazon is a household name across the U.S. It sells everything from toys, appliances, office supplies, food, clothes … and that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
And a quick search on Amazon’s website reveals thousands of results for Bibles. Large-print, thin line, red-letter, travel size, study, leather-bound, hardcover, and in nearly every translation you can imagine.
In today’s world, purchasing a Bible seems like it should be easier than ever before, especially since companies like Amazon now ship to over 100 countries around the globe. But countless people still don’t have access to God’s Word.
Keep reading to find out why:
China
Chinese Christians can access Amazon but can’t purchase Bibles
Even though Amazon no longer has the influence it once did in China due to domestic competitors, citizens can still access the online store to purchase products from around the world.
But try to search for Bibles, and the list isn’t nearly as long as in the U.S. In fact, users won’t be able to find a single copy of God’s Word for sale. That’s because China banned the online sale of Bibles back in 2018.
Now, Chinese citizens can only legally obtain Bibles from churches and bookstores authorized by the Chinese Communist Party, severely restricting access to God’s Word for Christ-followers and seekers living in the country.
And the online Bible ban doesn’t just affect the purchasing of physical Bibles. People living in China also have difficulty accessing electronic versions of God’s Word.
To make matters worse, intense government surveillance means the online activity of Chinese Christians is constantly monitored.
Iran
Bibles in Iran have been completely banned
Amazon does not offer its services in Iran because of ongoing sanctions. But even if it did, it’d be impossible for Iranians to purchase Bibles.
And unlike China, Christians living in Iran can’t find Bibles for sale anywhere. That’s because the country’s leaders have completely banned God’s Word.
Because Iranian leaders see Christianity as a threat to Islam, the printing, sale, and distribution of Bibles is illegal. Iranian Christians can’t go online a purchase a Bible. They can’t walk to the nearest bookstore to browse the Bible selection. They’re not even allowed to own God’s Word.
Since Bibles are so hard to obtain, many Christians have never had the opportunity to read one. And those who have gotten the opportunity to read Scripture for themselves often only have scraps of paper or shared pages distributed among believers in secret.
North Korea
Many North Koreans have never even heard of Amazon
In addition to being the most dangerous country to follow Jesus, North Korea is also one of the most closed-off countries in the world. As a result, it’s one of the few nations Amazon doesn’t deliver to.
North Korean citizens have almost no contact with the outside world. What little they do have is carefully curated by the government to fit its Juche ideology, which effectively deifies the country’s leaders and prohibits other forms of worship. Under this regime, Christianity is outlawed.
For North Korean Christians, showing any hint of their faith publicly could be a death sentence. If someone is caught with a Bible, they and three generations of their family could be thrown into labor camps.
Because it’s illegal to own a Bible — and North Koreans don’t have reliable ways to access Scripture illegally — they often write memorized passages and verses on scraps of paper, which they must hide to avoid discovery.
You Can Help Bridge the Gap
Your gift will provide the lifesaving gift of Bibles to people in need
Amazon may not be able to deliver Bibles in places like China, Iran, and North Korea — but you can! More and more people around the world are asking for God’s Word, but they can’t access it without someone like you stepping in.
Here’s how you can help.
Every $10 you give will provide one Bible to someone who doesn’t have one, even in the hardest to reach countries in the world. Your gift will be life-changing for a Christ-follower or seeker desperate for God’s Word.
And since many people share their copies with family and friends, each Bible you give will impact around five people!
You can share the love of Christ and make an eternal impact all around the world right now. Click the button below to learn more.