Austria: Scriptures for refugees
The Austrian Bible Society is working to share the Word of God with the large numbers of refugees living in Austria. By working alongside churches they can answer the requests for Bibles coming from individuals and groups.
Every person deserves the opportunity to encounter the life-changing message of the Bible—especially those facing hardship, uncertainty, and displacement. In Austria, the Bible Society is committed to ensuring that refugees from across the world have access to God’s Word in a language they can understand and connect with.
Scriptures in Many Languages
Through this ongoing project, the Bible Society provides Scriptures in both mother-tongue and communication languages to refugees in Austria. Over the past few years, the most requested languages have included Farsi, Arabic, English, French, Russian, Dari, and increasingly, Ukrainian. These Scriptures are distributed in refugee camps, homes, detention centres, and prisons—reaching both Christians and non-Christians who are seeking comfort, truth, and hope.
Special bilingual editions, such as Farsi-German and Arabic-German New Testaments, are particularly valuable in helping individuals learn German while engaging with Scripture. For those new to the Bible or hesitant to receive a full edition, Scripture selections like “On the Road”, “I Am She”, or the bilingual Gospel of Luke offer an accessible introduction to God's Word—especially meaningful for women from Muslim backgrounds.
From Library Shelf to Personal Copy
Many first encounter the Bible Society's ministry through library copies placed in prisons, refugee homes, and community centres. These shared resources often lead to personal requests—individuals seeking their own copy to read privately, pray over, and carry with them on their journey.
The Bible Society works through a wide network of partners—churches, NGOs, and even secular organisations—to ensure the widest possible reach. In recent years, the war in Ukraine has brought new waves of displaced families, increasing the demand for Scriptures in Ukrainian, particularly around Easter and Christmas when local churches are most active in outreach.
A Ministry of Presence and Partnership
At the heart of this project is a simple yet powerful mission: to make the Bible accessible to everyone. For refugees arriving in Austria—many carrying trauma, fear, and uncertainty—Scripture offers a message of hope and the possibility of transformation. The Bible Society's long-standing relationships across the country make it possible to reach people at every stage of their journey: from first arrival in camps, through transitions to refugee homes, and even during detention or imprisonment.
This work is also supporting many who are preparing for baptism, especially those from Muslim backgrounds who have found faith in Christ through reading the Bible and connecting with local church communities.
Building Hope in a Hard Place
Refugees in Austria face tough conditions: unfamiliar language and culture, isolation, and increasingly restrictive laws. In this challenging context, Scripture becomes more than a book—it is a source of identity, reassurance, and strength.
By working alongside churches, NGOs, and government institutions, the Bible Society in Austria continues to offer not only Scriptures, but also the unshakable message that every person is seen, loved, and valued by God.
Bible Society NI is providing funding for this work which means that Scriptures can be given for free to refugees, asylum seekers and those being held in detention centres after asylum was declined.