Despite inflation and the many pressures on manufacturers and retailers, Bible sales remain strong, publishers say. Christian houses have learned to adapt to a disrupted marketplace in order to better serve readers in need of hope.
Crossway has responded to supply chain delays and paper shortages by implementing longer lead times for production and increasing the number of print runs for Bibles. “The past 12 months have resulted in Crossway’s best year of Bible sales, proving that the need for Bibles continues to exist, almost more than ever,” says Daniel Bush, executive v-p of sales and marketing. “As people encounter difficulties in their lives, be it personal, political, or social, the Bible remains a source of true hope and life.”
Sales at Tyndale also remain healthy, according to Bibles publisher Amy Simpson. “Because we believe reading and understanding the Bible can change a person’s life for the better,” she says, “we’re hopeful that we’ll see continued growth as we continue investing in new editions that will meet people in their busy lives and bring hope in these turbulent times.”
Ave Maria Press publisher and CEO Karey Circosta says she’s working to “foster a community of women who want to regularly read the word of God and live it in their daily lives” with a new release, the Living the Word Catholic Women’s Bible and its companion journal (Dec.). “We want the women who use this Bible to feel connected not only to the scriptures but also to other readers, as well as the contributors, biblical women, and saints—women just like them,” she adds.
New and forthcoming Bible editions and translations include the following:
• ESV Church History Study Bible: Voices from the Past, Wisdom for the Present (Crossway, Jan. 2023) focuses on more than 300 prominent figures in the history of the church, such as John Bunyan, Martin Luther, and Charles Spurgeon.
• NLT Thinline Reference Bible, Filament Enabled Edition (Tyndale, Oct.) features the New Living Translation and cross-references in a thin, small trim size. Those who purchase it get access to the Filament Bible app, which connects every page to additional related biblical content via phone or tablet.
• NRSVue, Holy Bible (Zondervan, out now) features the updated translation that succeeds the NRSV. The NRSVue translation was a four-year project undertaken by the National Council of Churches in collaboration with the Society of Biblical Literature.
• The Readable Bible (Iron Stream Media, Nov.) is a new biblical translation that contains graphics, charts, maps, and modern formatting intended to “help people draw closer to God by maximizing Bible comprehension,” according to the publisher.
