New research finds Scripture outperforms exercise and meditation on stress, anxiety, and loneliness. The secret is showing up every week.
Americans who read the Bible at least once a week report lower stress, lower anxiety, and more hope than those who do not, according to the American Bible Society’s 2025 State of the Bible report. The researchers found that Scripture’s link to lower stress, anxiety, and loneliness was stronger than that of exercise, meditation, or time with a friend.
In the nationally representative survey of 2,656 American adults, weekly readers averaged a stress score of 8, compared to 9.6 for those who do not read Scripture.
Notice the word that matters most in that finding: weekly. The benefits belonged to people who came back to the Bible again and again. Not one inspired weekend. A habit. Bible Plus is Israel365’s online Bible study platform, offering video courses on the Hebrew Bible taught by teachers in Israel, with new courses added every month. It is built to turn weekly Bible study into a habit that sticks.
Questions We Hear Most
“I want to see it first.” Fair enough. Watch Part 1 of Sepha Kirschblum’s course on Cain and Abel for free, no credit card needed. It is a character study of the first brothers in the Bible, and a good preview of the depth Bible Plus brings to every course. Watch Part 1 free
“I’m not sure I’ll stick with it.” That is exactly why a year beats a month. A monthly subscription feels like a trial. An annual one is a promise you make to yourself, and promises are what habits are built on.
“It costs too much.” A monthly membership is $9.99, which adds up to $119.88 a year. An annual membership is $72, just $6 a month. That is nearly $48 back in your pocket.
“I don’t read Hebrew.” You don’t need to. Every course is taught in English, and the original Hebrew is explained for you along the way.
“I don’t have time.” Every course is prerecorded, so you learn on your schedule, not ours. Watch a lesson over breakfast or before bed, on any device, and pick up right where you left off. With more than 200 courses, there is always something worth making time for.
The research is in, and the habit is yours to build. Sign up for an annual Bible Plus membership at bible-plus.com and receive a free travel English-Hebrew Bible, available only with annual memberships while supplies last. Make this the year of your Bible study, and the year you keep coming back.
