Centered in Sweden’s capital, Stockholm, a large-scale Bible distribution project is currently underway to deliver the Swedish New Testament to every household.
New Life Ministries is participating in this unprecedented mission effort through printing the Bible in partnership with Bible for the Nations.
The Faith Left by Missionaries
For Japanese Christians, Sweden holds a special place in history.
It is said that the establishment of many churches in Japan—such as the Japan Alliance Church and the Japan Seiyaku Church—were greatly influenced by the prayers and dedication of missionaries sent from American mission boards rooted in Sweden.
The gospel they carried across the sea to Japan continues to bear fruit today as the foundation of churches and missions throughout the country.
In that sense, Sweden may be remembered not merely as “a nation that received missions,”but as:
A nation that sent out missionaries
and faithfully brought the gospel to us.
Many Christians may naturally ask:
“Why does Sweden need the Bible today?”
From the late 19th to the early 20th century, Sweden experienced a powerful revival movement. Its spiritual fervor extended beyond church walls and deeply influenced society as a whole. During that time, Sweden sent numerous missionaries throughout the world.
However, more than a century later, modern Swedish society has undergone rapid secularization. Christianity remains as history and culture, but opportunities for faith to be passed down within families have gradually diminished.
Remarkably, in today’s Sweden, many parents themselves are unfamiliar with Bible stories, and in numerous homes, God’s Word is no longer spoken to children.
It is not that the gospel never reached them.
Rather, the rich grace once poured out has become difficult to pass on across generations.
Amid this background, many struggle to find a spiritual anchor. Issues such as loneliness, depression, addiction, and loss of hope weigh heavily on people’s lives.
Now more than ever, they need prayer—and they need the gospel.
A Historic and Spiritual Milestone
The year 2026 marks the 500th anniversary of the first translation of the New Testament into Swedish—a milestone of profound historical and spiritual significance.
Just as the Scriptures once shaped faith and society when they became available in the people’s own language, we pray that God’s Word will once again be placed into the hands and daily lives of the Swedish people.
Bible for the Nations has designated 2026 as “The Year of the Bible,” continuing to walk forward in prayer for Sweden.
“The people walking in darkness have seen a great light.”
— Isaiah 9:1
From March through September 2026, the following distribution is planned throughout the greater Stockholm metropolitan area:
•New Testament (BOOK OF HOPE): 1.4 million copies
•Children’s Bible, The Jesus Storybook: 168,000 copies
The Swedish New Testament (BOOK OF HOPE) includes testimonies and messages that speak to contemporary readers, making it accessible even for those who are holding a Bible for the very first time.
Another vital pillar of this outreach is the children’s Bible, The Jesus Storybook.
In January 2026, New Life Ministries shipped 168,000 copies to Sweden.
While many Swedish families may feel distant from religion, they are often open to books for their children. This cultural openness provides a meaningful opportunity.
These children’s Bibles are being delivered to:
•Children in homes with little or no connection to the church or the Bible
•Children from immigrant and refugee families adjusting to life in a new culture and language
To each of these children, God’s Word is being placed directly into their hands.
Through this book, children encounter the Bible as a story. Parents pause to listen. And within those shared moments, not merely moral lessons but the grand story of salvation through Jesus Christ—from Genesis to the Gospels—naturally enters into family conversation.
Over time, that one book may remain on the family bookshelf as the first Bible in the home.
Long ago, Swedish missionaries brought the gospel to Japan through prayer and sacrificial devotion.
Today, God has placed that missionary baton into our hands—through the work of printing.
Each copy rolling off the press is entrusted with the hope that it will reach someone in loneliness and truly become what its name declares: a Book of Hope.
We are deeply grateful for each of you who walks alongside this mysterious and beautiful chain of mission through your prayers.
Please continue to remember this work in your prayers.
•That through 2026, “The Year of the Bible,” spiritual awakening and hope would arise in Sweden.
•That during the distribution efforts in Stockholm, volunteers would be protected and each Bible would reach the right person in the right way.
•That through the children’s Bibles, conversations about God would begin within families.
New Life Ministries is a non-denominational Christian ministry committed to serving the Lord by printing and sending Bibles and Gospel literature to Japan and the rest of the world, in each people group’s heart language.
Beginning in 1954, under the name New Life League, the ministry reached out to children, provided Gospel literature, and did evangelism through radio broadcast.
Later on, the work shifted more to the collection and printing of Gospel literature as the main focus.
Throughout history, there has always been a call for the supply of Bibles, and New Life Ministries has continued to do all that it can to meet the demand. Our purpose is to see Japan changed for Jesus, and that the whole world be filled with His precious Word.
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