Bible Society distributed 77,500 full Bibles within New Zealand in 2009 which is over 10,000 more Bibles than were distributed in the previous year. More than 12,000 of these Bibles were in languages other than English.

Reporting to the annual general meeting of Bible Society last month, chief executive Rev Mark Brown also said that Bible Society had given away 11,966 Bibles for use in prisons, hospitals, rehabilitation centres and among young people.

While Bible Society is New Zealand’s main Bible distributor, when their total is added to other Bible distribution outlets the number of Bibles distributed in New Zealand last year almost certainly exceeds 100,000 which, yet again puts the Bible at the top of the best-seller list.