It is a paradox too heavy to ignore: the same Holy Bible that has inspired more hospitals, schools, constitutions, and moral revolutions than any other book in history remains the most persecuted and restricted book on earth. From the underground churches in North Korea to confiscated shipments in the Middle East, from burned copies in China to mocked verses in the West, the Bible remains a sacred text under siege. Why does a book of peace provoke so much war? Why does the Word that heals attract so many hammers?
In the Islamic Republic of Iran, Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani, a former Muslim who embraced Christ, was arrested for “apostasy” and for distributing Holy Bibles. His sentence: death by hanging. Though international pressure eventually secured his release, the Holy Bible he once handed out still remains illegal in Farsi and considered a tool of subversion. In North Korea, even owning a Holy Bible is a capital crime. Those caught in possession are not merely imprisoned—they and their families may vanish into labour camps where faith is squeezed out by force.
In China, the persecution is subtler but no less fierce. The Chinese Communist Party has banned online Holy Bible sales, replaced sacred texts in state-approved churches with edited versions to suit political ideology, and rewritten Gospel stories to present Christ as a supporter of the regime. In one such example, the story of the adulterous woman in John 8 was distorted—Jesus no longer says “neither do I condemn you,” but allegedly declares, “I too am a sinner,” before executing the woman. This is not just blasphemy; it is doctrinal sabotage.
Even in liberal democracies that claim to uphold freedom of religion, the Holy Bible is increasingly facing cultural persecution. In academic institutions across the West, quoting Scripture is often dismissed as outdated, bigoted, or “dangerous.” In some corporate spaces, carrying a Holy Bible openly is seen as provocative. In Finland, Member of Parliament and former interior minister Päivi Räsänen was criminally charged in 2022 for tweeting a Holy Bible verse (Romans 1:24–27) in opposition to LGBTQ+ policies. Though she was acquitted, the fact that Scripture itself was put on trial marked a chilling moment in European jurisprudence.
Yet the Holy Bible survives. It thrives. It multiplies. Burn it in Pyongyang, and it reappears in braille for blind Christians in Ghana. Ban it in Saudi Arabia, and it surfaces on phones smuggled through encrypted apps. Ridicule it in New York universities, and it is still whispered in prison yards and refugee camps. Like fire in dry grass, persecution does not quench the Holy Bible—it spreads it. As Tertullian once wrote, “The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church.” So too, the banning of the Holy Bible becomes the fuel of its underground expansion.
But why does this particular Book threaten kings and presidents, scholars and soldiers, radicals and empires? Because it is not merely a book—it is alive. Hebrews 4:12 declares, “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword.” The Holy Bible cuts through ideologies, challenges dictatorships, and awakens dead consciences. It offers freedom that tyrants cannot control, truth that systems cannot contain, and hope that humanism cannot replace. Its power is not in ink but in divine breath.
Even the devil fears it. In Matthew 4, Jesus didn’t quote poetry when tempted—He quoted Scripture. When the apostles faced trials, they didn’t defend with swords—they declared, “It is written.” In today’s world, that same line— “It is written” —has become a radical proclamation. In a generation that elevates feelings above truth, the Bible’s unchanging precepts are an unwelcomed guest. But it is precisely its immovability that makes it indispensable.
As global citizens debate rights, justice, and morality, the greatest injustice may be this: to silence the only book that truly sets men free. In a time when self-help books flood markets, and motivational speeches trend, the one Book that says, “You shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32) is being marginalized. But let the world know—the Word is not chained (2 Timothy 2:9). You may ban the Bible, burn it, banish it, or bury it—but it will rise again and spread Holiness worldwide.
So, to the persecutors of the Bible across ages and borders—know this: The scrolls they burned became chapters memorized in caves. The missionaries they jailed became martyrs whose graves sparked revivals. The verses they censored became banners in protests, psalms in prisons, and sermons in slums. The Bible has outlived emperors, atheists, inquisitions, revolutions, and critics. It will outlive this age, for the grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God shall stand forever (Isaiah 40:8).
– Inah Boniface Ocholi writes from Ayah – Igalamela/Odolu LGA, Kogi state.
08152094428 (SMS Only)
