What Is the Most Widely Read Book of All Time?

Ask anyone what the most widely read book in history is, and you’ll get a lot of guesses: The Bible, Harry Potter, The Quran, or maybe even Quotations from Chairman Mao. But only one book holds the undisputed title-not just in sales, but in reach, translation, and daily use across cultures, languages, and centuries.

The Bible: The Book That Never Stops Being Read

The Bible is the most widely read book of all time. Not because it’s the most popular fiction, or the most critically acclaimed, but because it’s read by more people, in more places, and more often than any other book ever written.

Estimates from the United Bible Societies and the World Bible Translation Center put total copies distributed since its first printed edition in 1455 at over 5 billion. That’s more than every novel, textbook, and self-help guide combined. And those numbers keep growing. In 2023 alone, over 100 million Bibles were printed and distributed globally.

It’s not just about numbers. The Bible has been translated in full or in part into over 3,500 languages-more than any other book in human history. Even languages with fewer than 1,000 speakers have at least a portion of the Bible in their tongue. That’s not marketing. That’s necessity. People need it. Communities rely on it. Families read it aloud at breakfast. Children memorize verses. Churches open their doors to it every Sunday.

It’s read in rural villages in Papua New Guinea, in high-rise apartments in Shanghai, in refugee camps in Jordan, and in small-town churches in rural Kansas. It’s not just a religious text. For billions, it’s the foundation of their daily moral compass, their cultural identity, and their sense of community.

Why It’s Not Just About Sales

Sometimes people confuse “best-selling” with “most read.” A book can sell millions and still sit unread on shelves. The Bible doesn’t have that problem. It’s not a book people buy once and forget. It’s a book people return to-daily, weekly, yearly.

Studies from Pew Research Center show that in the United States alone, 43% of adults read the Bible at least once a week. In Nigeria, that number climbs to 78%. In South Korea, over half of Christians read it daily. In Brazil, it’s common for households to have multiple copies-some in Portuguese, others in indigenous languages.

Compare that to other top sellers. The Quran, often cited as a close second, has an estimated 3.1 billion copies in circulation. But it’s primarily read in Arabic by Muslims who believe the original text is sacred. Translations exist, but they’re considered interpretations, not the true word. That limits its spread in non-Arabic-speaking communities.

Quotations from Chairman Mao, the third most printed book, had over 900 million copies printed during the Cultural Revolution in China. But those were state-distributed, not chosen by individuals. Once political tides shifted, reading it became less common. The Bible, by contrast, has survived wars, censorship, bans, and cultural revolutions-and kept being read.

How It Stays Relevant Across Centuries

What makes the Bible different from other ancient texts? It didn’t become a relic. It evolved.

Early versions were handwritten on parchment. Then came the Gutenberg press in 1455, which made it the first book printed in large quantities. In the 1800s, missionary groups carried pocket-sized Bibles into uncharted territories. In the 1980s, audio Bibles reached illiterate populations. Today, apps like YouVersion have over 500 million downloads, letting users read, listen, or share verses in real time.

It’s also adapted to modern needs. There are Bibles for teens, for athletes, for people with dyslexia, for couples, for those grieving. There are versions that use modern English, ones that stick to King James phrasing, and even ones with illustrations for children. It’s not a static artifact. It’s a living document that changes form without changing its core.

Even in secular societies, it shows up everywhere. The U.S. Constitution references “inalienable rights,” a phrase rooted in biblical language. Shakespeare’s plays are full of biblical allusions. Legal oaths in courts still use the Bible. Politicians quote it. Artists draw from it. Musicians sample its verses.

Other Contenders-And Why They Fall Short

Let’s be fair: other books have massive reach. But none match the Bible’s combination of scale, longevity, and daily engagement.

• The Quran-Widely read, deeply revered, but limited by language and tradition. Most Muslims read it in Arabic, and translations are not considered equivalent. Its global readership is large, but not as diverse in language use.
• Quotations from Chairman Mao-Printed in staggering numbers, but largely a product of state control. Today, it’s more of a historical artifact than a daily read.
• Harry Potter-Over 500 million copies sold. A cultural phenomenon. But it’s fiction, consumed over a few years, then often shelved. The average reader doesn’t revisit it weekly.
• The Little Prince-Translated into 500 languages. Beautiful. Poetic. But read mostly as literature, not as a guide for life.
• Don Quixote-Often called the first modern novel. Around 500 million copies. Still, it’s studied in schools, not lived in homes.

None of these have the same level of integration into daily life. None are read by families during meals. None are used in ceremonies like weddings, funerals, or baptisms across dozens of cultures. None are carried by soldiers into battle, or whispered by prisoners in solitary confinement.

What It Means to Be the Most Widely Read Book

The Bible’s dominance isn’t accidental. It’s the result of centuries of dedication-by translators, printers, missionaries, parents, and communities who believed it mattered enough to pass on.

It’s not about being the most beautiful, the most logical, or even the most accurate. It’s about presence. It’s about being there when you need it. When you’re lost. When you’re scared. When you’re celebrating. When you’re mourning.

That’s why it’s still the most widely read book. Not because someone declared it so. But because billions of people, across every continent, in every generation, have chosen to read it-again and again.

If you want to understand human culture, you don’t need to study the most popular novels. You need to understand the book that’s been in every home, every school, every hospital, every prison, every army, and every heart for over 500 years.

The Bible isn’t just a book. It’s the most widely read thing on the planet.

What to Read Next

If you’re curious about how books shape culture, look beyond sales charts. Try exploring how religious texts influence law, art, and daily rituals. Or compare how the Bible’s role differs in the U.S. versus sub-Saharan Africa. You might also find it interesting how digital tools are changing the way people engage with ancient texts.

For deeper insight, consider reading about the history of Bible translation, the impact of missionary work, or how modern publishers design editions for different audiences. These aren’t just about religion-they’re about how humans connect, remember, and pass on meaning.