The French Bible Society, along with several Christian sporting ministries, will distribute 200,000 New Testaments during the Olympic and Paralympic games in Paris.

They had originally planned to give away 100,000 French and 30,000 English copies of the New Testaments but had to increase the the print run “as demand was greater”.

They are now distributing 140,000 copies in French and 60,000 in English, “in the hope that they will leave a lasting legacy that extends far beyond the athletic arenas”.

That distribution will be free and carried out by “teams from associations and churches who will be on the ground to spread this message of hope”.

For the French Bible Society, collaborating with organisations such as the Protestant chaplaincy, among others, “stands as a beacon of the shared values that bring people together, transcending the boundaries of sport and spirituality”.

“More precious than gold”

This special edition of the New Testament is called More Precious than Gold and is inspired by 1Peter 1:7.

It features “around fifteen testimonies from sportsmen and women who have a similar history with the Games and whose faith is nourished by the Bible”.

Among those Christian athletes are French handball champion, Joël Abati; American sprinter, Allyson Felix; and Australian high jumper Nicola Olyslagers.

“It is so inspiring to read the athletes' testimonies. Those accounts serve as a powerful reminder of the enduring impact the Bible continues to have in our contemporary world”, said Jonathan Boulet, General Secretary of the French Bible Society.