Christians Receive Prison Sentences and Fines for Distributing Bibles in China

by Luke Booker, Worthy News Correspondent

(Worthy News) – Nine Chinese Christians have been sentenced to up to four years in prison and fined amounts up to a million yuan (more than $136,000), according to a religious liberty and human rights magazine.

The charges stem from 2021 arrests, when Christians bought legally published Bibles in Nanjing but were accused by the Chinese government of running a criminal evangelistic enterprise by purposely reselling them below cost, according to Bitter Winter.

The Christians were convicted of illegal business operations because, although the Bibles were legally published, they belonged to an unregistered house church that refused to join China’s government-controlled Three-Self Patriotic Movement, according to the International Christian Concern.

Earlier this year, the Chinese government boasted about its intensified crackdown on independent religious groups in 2024. “China’s public security authorities intensified efforts to dismantle cult organizations in 2024,” the state-run Global Times reported. “They have worked to curb the growth and spread of cult organizations, mitigating potential threats to national political security and maintaining social stability.”

In the 2025 World Watch List by Open Doors, China is ranked 15th out of 50 for severe Christian persecution, up four spots from the previous year. This rise is due to stricter regulatory enforcement, resulting in the shutdown of unregistered churches and heightened scrutiny of official ones. Open Doors estimates there are about 96.7 million Christians in China.

Since the People’s Republic of China was established in 1949, Christianity has experienced significant growth, increasing from 4 million Christians to an estimated 58 million Protestants and 9 million Catholics by 2010.

Despite ongoing intense persecution and strict government controls, current estimates suggest that there are between 80 and 100 million Christians in China, including both officially registered members and those in unregistered house church communities.

Copyright 1999-2026 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.

More Worthy News

$2 Trillion Moved From Blue States to Red States, New Economic Report Reveals
$2 Trillion Moved From Blue States to Red States, New Economic Report Reveals
Thursday, May 7, 2026

More than $2 trillion in wealth has migrated from Democrat-led states to Republican-led states over the past decade, according to a new economic analysis released by the conservative group Committee to Unleash Prosperity, highlighting a major population and financial shift reshaping the American economy.

U.S. Deficit Projected To Hit $2 Trillion, Double Fiscal Target
U.S. Deficit Projected To Hit $2 Trillion, Double Fiscal Target
Thursday, May 7, 2026

The federal government is projected to post a $2 trillion deficit in fiscal year 2026, double the 3% of GDP target that has bipartisan support in Congress, according to Treasury’s quarterly refunding documents.

U.S. Warships Repel Iranian Attack in Strait of Hormuz as Trump Warns Tehran of Harsher Response
U.S. Warships Repel Iranian Attack in Strait of Hormuz as Trump Warns Tehran of Harsher Response
Thursday, May 7, 2026

The United States launched retaliatory strikes against Iranian military facilities Thursday night after three U.S. Navy destroyers came under attack while transiting the Strait of Hormuz, according to U.S. Central Command.

Russian Drones Hit Ukrainian Kindergarten Despite Ceasefire Claims (Worthy News)
Russian Drones Hit Ukrainian Kindergarten Despite Ceasefire Claims (Worthy News)
Thursday, May 7, 2026

Russian Shahed drones struck a kindergarten in Ukraine’s Sumy Oblast despite a Kyiv-declared ceasefire, killing at least one person, witnesses and officials said Thursday.

Eritrea Frees Christians After Years In Prison Amid Pressure Over Persecution (Worthy News In-Depth)
Eritrea Frees Christians After Years In Prison Amid Pressure Over Persecution (Worthy News In-Depth)
Thursday, May 7, 2026

Some 24 Eritrean Christians have been released from prison after lengthy periods behind bars in the authoritarian-ruled African nation, advocates confirmed Friday.

Hungary Prepares For End Of Orbán Era Amid Celebration And Controversy (Worthy News In-Depth)
Hungary Prepares For End Of Orbán Era Amid Celebration And Controversy (Worthy News In-Depth)
Thursday, May 7, 2026

Hungary prepared Thursday for what supporters called the “end of the Orbán regime,” with thousands expected to gather in Budapest to celebrate ahead of the swearing-in of incoming Prime Minister Péter Magyar.

Explosion Hits Dutch Ruling Party Headquarters Amid Migration Tensions (Worthy News In-Depth)
Explosion Hits Dutch Ruling Party Headquarters Amid Migration Tensions (Worthy News In-Depth)
Thursday, May 7, 2026

An explosion rocked the headquarters of the Dutch ruling center-left party Democrats 66 (D66) in The Hague late Thursday amid mounting tensions over the government’s controversial asylum seekers policies, but there were no injuries, authorities said.