Following a record 4 million Bibles printed at the Amity Press in China last year, the total number of Bibles printed there since the Press was established in 1987 topped the 50 million mark last December.
 
All 50 million Bibles have been distributed within mainland China, mainly to Christians but they are also freely available to anyone who wants a Bible.
 
The Amity Press was a Bible Society initiative and supporters of Bible Society in New Zealand have contributed generously both to the original building of the Press and the printing of the Bibles. Gifts pay for the paper which costs about $2.00 a Bible. This subsidy makes the selling price of a hardcover full Bible about $2.00 making it very affordable to most Chinese.
 
“The Amity Bible Press has been called ‘a modern miracle of God’”, said Bible Society CEO Rev Mark Brown.
 
“How else can you explain record numbers of Bibles being printed to help nurture the faith of record numbers of new Christians in what is essentially an atheistic state?
 
“That said, Bible Society and the Chinese church work closely with the government there in the production and distribution of Bibles. And we intend to do so for as long as there is a need for Bibles in China,” added Mr Brown.