Most Popular Bible Verse by Country
If you ever wondered what the most popular bible verse (or quotes) would be by country then here is some interesting data. This was inspired by the work of World Vision UK and their article on the same.
There are several ways to do this work. You can use Ahrefs for keyword research statistics and then cross-tab the data with results from Biblegateway.com, as was the methodology by World Vision UK.
I went down a different path using the Google Bard AI experimental chatbot model (launched as an “Experiment” on May 2023) which underneath the hood uses the Gemini Pro model as of December 6th, 2023.
The Gemini models are the most advanced general artificial intelligence (AI) natively multimodal models in the market — meaning it comprehends and generates texts, audio, code, video, and images. I got the raw data from Bard by running queries, then I massaged the data in Google Sheets and finally conducted my Word Cloud analysis on one of the many free websites that offer word visualization capabilities.
Word Cloud most popular Bible Verse Worldwide
You might say we did not need all this analysis to find that Gospel of John, and likely John 3:16, is the top bible verse in the world! That is true but being the nerd that I am, I had to run the analysis.
Out of a total count of 76 countries citing that the Gospel of John is the top Bible book, 61 of them refer to the famous John 3:16 verse, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.“
Another interesting insight into the data is that there is one country that has Deuteronomy 6:4 as its top bible verse. I will give you a hint by citing the verse which reads, “Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might. Keep these words that I am commanding you today in your heart.” Yes, it is Israel.
There is something else that is strange and I cannot understand why. South American countries tend to gravitate towards Genesis 1:27, in particular, which reads, “So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.”
Europe is a random event, seems like they were pulling papers out of Japanese fortune cookies, except the Brits which not surprisingly gravitated towards John 3.16 (as well as Romania).
I was wondering if there could be correlations of bible verse preferences to population statistics (i.e., divorce rates, crime, socio-economic distributions, etc..), but that will be an article in itself for a later time and if time allows (after retirement)…
I leave you with the summarized data for your reading pleasure.
most popular Bible Verse by Region and Country
| Region | Country | Favorite Verse | Reason |
| North America | |||
| Canada | John 3:16 | Message of salvation | |
| United States | John 3:16 | Message of salvation | |
| Mexico | Genesis 1:27 | Value and dignity of human life | |
| Guatemala | Psalm 23:4 | Comfort and reassurance in hardship | |
| Belize | John 3:16 | Message of salvation | |
| Costa Rica | Philippians 4:13 | Inspiration and strength; encourages perseverance | |
| Panama | Proverbs 3:5-6 | Guidance and wisdom; making wise decisions | |
| Cuba | John 3:16 | Message of salvation | |
| Dominican Republic | Proverbs 16:9 | Trust in God’s plan | |
| Haiti | Isaiah 40:29 | Hope and strength in hardship | |
| South America | |||
| Argentina | Genesis 1:27 | Emphasis on family and creation | |
| Bolivia | Genesis 1:28 | Emphasis on family and creation | |
| Brazil | Genesis 1:1 | Emphasis on creation | |
| Chile | Genesis 2:24 | Emphasis on marriage and family | |
| Colombia | Genesis 1:27 | Emphasis on family and creation | |
| Ecuador | Genesis 1:27 | Emphasis on family and creation | |
| Guyana | John 3:16 | Message of salvation | |
| Paraguay | Genesis 1:27 | Emphasis on family and creation | |
| Peru | Genesis 1:27 | Emphasis on family and creation | |
| Suriname | John 3:16 | Message of salvation | |
| Uruguay | Genesis 1:27 | Emphasis on family and creation | |
| Venezuela | Genesis 1:27 | Emphasis on family and creation | |
| Europe | |||
| Austria | Romans 8:28 | Comfort and reassurance during hardship | |
| Belgium | Matthew 5:44 | Message of love and forgiveness | |
| Croatia | Exodus 20:3-5 | Importance of the Ten Commandments | |
| Czech Republic | Jeremiah 29:11 | Hope for the future | |
| Denmark | Psalm 23 | Comfort and guidance | |
| Finland | Psalm 91 | Protection and security | |
| France | Isaiah 41:10 | Strength and courage | |
| Germany | John 3:16 | Message of salvation | |
| Greece | John 8:12 | Light of the world | |
| Hungary | Philippians 4:13 | Strength and perseverance | |
| Iceland | Matthew 6:33 | Seek first the kingdom of God | |
| Ireland | John 14:6 | Way, truth, and life | |
| Italy | Matthew 22:37-39 | Love God and love your neighbor | |
| Luxembourg | John 10:10 | Life abundant | |
| Netherlands | Proverbs 3:5-6 | Trust in the Lord | |
| Norway | Psalm 23 | Comfort and guidance | |
| Poland | Matthew 28:19 | Go and make disciples | |
| Portugal | Romans 8:28 | All things work together for good | |
| Romania | John 3:16 | Message of salvation | |
| Russia | Matthew 5:44 | Love your enemies | |
| Serbia | John 15:13 | Greater love has no one | |
| Slovakia | Matthew 6:25-34 | Don’t worry about tomorrow | |
| Slovenia | John 14:27 | Peace be with you | |
| Spain | Romans 12:2 | Be transformed by renewing your mind | |
| Sweden | Psalm 23 | Comfort and guidance | |
| Switzerland | Matthew 7:7 | Ask, seek, knock | |
| Ukraine | Psalm 91 | Protection and security | |
| United Kingdom | John 3:16 | Message of salvation | |
| Africa | |||
| Algeria | Matthew 5:44 | Message of love and forgiveness | |
| Angola | Psalm 23 | Comfort and guidance | |
| Benin | Romans 8:28 | Comfort and reassurance during hardship | |
| Botswana | John 3:16 | Message of salvation | |
| Burkina Faso | John 14:6 | Way, truth, and life | |
| Burundi | Philippians 4:13 | Strength and perseverance | |
| Cameroon | Proverbs 3:5-6 | Trust in the Lord | |
| Cape Verde | Matthew 6:33 | Seek first the kingdom of God | |
| Central African Republic | Isaiah 41:10 | Strength and courage | |
| Chad | Romans 8:28 | Comfort and reassurance during hardship | |
| Comoros | John 3:16 | Message of salvation | |
| Congo, Democratic Republic of the | John 10:10 | Life abundant | |
| Congo, Republic of the | Matthew 6:25-34 | Don’t worry about tomorrow | |
| Côte d’Ivoire | John 14:27 | Peace be with you | |
| Djibouti | Psalm 23 | Comfort and guidance | |
| Egypt | John 3:16 | Message of salvation | |
| Equatorial Guinea | Romans 12:2 | Be transformed by renewing your mind | |
| Eritrea | Matthew 7:7 | Ask, seek, knock | |
| Eswatini | Psalm 91 | Protection and security | |
| Ethiopia | John 8:12 | Light of the world | |
| Gabon | Romans 8:28 | Comfort and reassurance during hardship | |
| Gambia | Proverbs 3:5-6 | Trust in the Lord | |
| Ghana | John 3:16 | Message of salvation | |
| Guinea | Matthew 5:44 | Message of love and forgiveness | |
| Guinea-Bissau | Psalm 23 | Comfort and guidance | |
| Kenya | Romans 8:28 | Comfort and reassurance during hardship | |
| Lesotho | John 3:16 | Message of salvation | |
| Liberia | Matthew 22:37-39 | Love God and love your neighbor | |
| Libya | John 14:6 | Way, truth, and life | |
| Madagascar | John 3:16 | Message of salvation | |
| Malawi | Romans 8:28 | Comfort and reassurance during hardship | |
| Mali | John 3:16 | Message of salvation | |
| Mauritania | Matthew 5:44 | Message of love and forgiveness | |
| Mauritius | John 14:6 | Way, truth, and life | |
| Morocco | John 3:16 | Message of salvation | |
| Mozambique | John 3:16 | Message of salvation | |
| Namibia | John 3:16 | Message of salvation | |
| Niger | John 3:16 | Message of salvation | |
| Nigeria | Romans 8:28 | Comfort and reassurance during hardship | |
| Rwanda | John 14:6 | Way, truth, and life | |
| São Tomé and Príncipe | John 3:16 | Message of salvation | |
| Senegal | Matthew 5:44 | Message of love and forgiveness | |
| Seychelles | John 14:6 | Way, truth, and life | |
| Sierra Leone | Romans 8:28 | Comfort and reassurance during hardship | |
| Somalia | John 3:16 | Message of salvation | |
| South Africa | John 3:16 | Message of salvation | |
| South Sudan | Romans 8:28 | Comfort and reassurance during hardship | |
| Sudan | John 3:16 | Message of salvation | |
| Tanzania | John 3:16 | Message of salvation | |
| Togo | Romans 8:28 | Comfort and reassurance during hardship | |
| Tunisia | Matthew 5:44 | Message of love and forgiveness | |
| Uganda | John 3:16 | Message of salvation | |
| Zambia | Romans 8:28 | Comfort and reassurance during hardship | |
| Zimbabwe | John 3:16 | Message of salvation | |
| Asia | |||
| Afghanistan | John 3:16 | Message of salvation | |
| Armenia | Jeremiah 29:11 | Hope for the future | |
| Azerbaijan | Psalm 23 | Comfort and guidance | |
| Bangladesh | John 3:16 | Message of salvation | |
| Bhutan | Matthew 5:44 | Message of love and forgiveness | |
| Brunei | Philippians 4:13 | Strength and perseverance | |
| Cambodia | John 3:16 | Message of salvation | |
| China | Genesis 1:1 | Emphasis on creation | |
| East Timor | John 3:16 | Message of salvation | |
| Georgia | John 14:6 | Way, truth, and life | |
| India | John 3:16 | Message of salvation | |
| Indonesia | John 3:16 | Message of salvation | |
| Iran | Isaiah 41:10 | Strength and courage | |
| Iraq | John 3:16 | Message of salvation | |
| Israel | Deuteronomy 6:4 | Shema Yisrael | |
| Japan | John 3:16 | Message of salvation | |
| Jordan | Matthew 22:37-39 | Love God and love your neighbor | |
| Kazakhstan | Romans 8:28 | All things work together for good | |
| North Korea | Proverbs 3:5-6 | Trust in the Lord | |
| South Korea | John 3:16 | Message of salvation | |
| Kuwait | John 3:16 | Message of salvation | |
| Kyrgyzstan | Philippians 4:13 | Strength and perseverance | |
| Laos | John 3:16 | Message of salvation | |
| Lebanon | John 8:12 | Light of the world | |
| Malaysia | John 3:16 | Message of salvation | |
| Maldives | John 3:16 | Message of salvation | |
| Mongolia | John 3:16 | Message of salvation | |
| Myanmar | John 3:16 | Message of salvation | |
| Nepal | John 3:16 | Message of salvation | |
| Oman | John 3:16 | Message of salvation | |
| Pakistan | John 3:16 | Message of salvation | |
| Palestine | John 3:16 | Message of salvation | |
| Philippines | John 3:16 | Message of salvation | |
| Qatar | John 3:16 | Message of salvation | |
| Russia | Matthew 5:44 | Love your enemies | |
| Saudi Arabia | John 3:16 | Message of salvation | |
| Singapore | John 3:16 | Message of salvation | |
| Sri Lanka | John 3:16 | Message of salvation | |
| Syria | John 3:16 | Message of salvation | |
| Taiwan | John 3:16 | Message of salvation | |
| Tajikistan | John 3:16 | Message of salvation | |
| Thailand | John 3:16 | Message of salvation | |
| Turkey | Matthew 22:37-39 | Love God and love your neighbor | |
| Turkmenistan | John 3:16 | Message of salvation | |
| United Arab Emirates | John 3:16 | Message of salvation | |
| Uzbekistan | John 3:16 | Message of salvation | |
| Vietnam | John 3:16 | Message of salvation | |
| Yemen | John 3:16 | Message of salvation | |
| Oceania | |||
| Australia | John 3:16 | Message of salvation | |
| Fiji | Psalm 23 | Comfort and guidance | |
| New Zealand | Romans 8:28 | Comfort and reassurance during hardship | |
| Papua New Guinea | Genesis 1:27 | Value and dignity of human life | |
| Solomon Islands | Proverbs 3:5-6 | Trust in the Lord | |
| Tonga | Matthew 6:33 | Seek first the kingdom of God | |
| Vanuatu | Philippians 4:13 | Strength and perseverance |
Frequency of popular Bible Verse Worldwide
If you wondered about the frequency of favorite bible verse, by Bible book, here it is:
| Frequency | Bible Book |
| 76 | john |
| 21 | matthew |
| 16 | romans |
| 13 | genesis |
| 12 | psalm |
| 7 | proverbs |
| 6 | philippians |
| 4 | isaiah |
| 2 | jeremiah |
| 1 | exodus |
| 1 | deuteronomy |
