How to Properly Dispose of a Bible

The Bible is the most sacred book in Christianity. Because of its important status, many observant Christians (and even non-believers) are hesitant to dispose of it in the same way they might dispose of everyday waste. Generally, Christian sects have little in the way of actual rules when it comes to disposing of a Bible. To get some insight, we spoke with Father Scott Bailey, a Catholic priest, to help break down the most respectful methods for getting rid of a Bible.

How to Get Rid of Old Bibles

There is no official or Biblically-supported method for disposing of a Bible. If you’re uncomfortable throwing the Bible out, bury the Bible somewhere peaceful. You can also burn the Bible in a controlled fire if you prefer.

Section 1 of 5:

Is there a proper way to dispose of a Bible?

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No, there is no single “correct” way to get rid of a Bible. Christian and Catholic traditions do not treat Bibles as venerated objects, which doesn’t make them special when it comes to disposal. Of course, it’s best to treat God’s word with respect and dignity, but there are no rules surrounding how you get rid of the Bible.^{[1]
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- God’s word is sacred, but the physical book carrying that word isn’t. Most Christian traditions do not have reserved or special status for physical objects (although the Catholic Church differs here), so it follows that there’s nothing unique or special about the book itself.
- The one exception is if the Bible has been blessed. If the Bible has been blessed by a Catholic priest (and you’re Catholic), the Church recommends burying or burning the Bible.
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Talk to your priest or pastor if you’re worried about Bible disposal. Father Bailey recommends talking to your local spiritual leader if you aren’t sure what you should do or you want more personalized guidance. They’ll help walk you through the most respectful, reasonable option based on what you’re comfortable with. Consulting with a member of your clergy will also ensure that you dispose of the Bible according to your church's unique rules (if there happen to be any).^{[2]
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Fr. Scott Bailey
Catholic Priest

Expert Interview}
- In this case, follow the advice in the rest of this article only after receiving confirmation from a qualified member of your church.

Section 2 of 5:

Is it a sin to throw a Bible in the trash?

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It’s not a sin so long as you have respect in your heart. Hebrews 4:12 says, “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” In other words, not only is the Bible just a vessel for God’s word, but it’s the word itself that matters—not where it’s printed. Also, note that God judges what’s in your heart. If your Bible is truly unsalvageable and you have love in your heart, there’s nothing wrong with just tossing it in a garbage bin.^{[3]
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- The Bible does not contain information on disposing of Bibles. The Bible wasn’t even assembled until the late 300s CE, which is hundreds of years after the last books in the Bible were even written. In other words, the authors of the Bible had no idea a Bible would even exist. As a consequence, there’s nothing in the Bible about the Bible itself—including disposal instructions.^{[4]
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- It’s totally normal to feel kind of weird about throwing out a holy book—especially if you’re Christian. If you do feel kind of odd about throwing a Bible in the trash, burn or bury it! Those are the traditional methods for dealing with blessed items, so it’s totally fine to use those methods for blessed items like a Bible.

Section 3 of 5:

Burying or Burning Your Bible

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Bury the Bible somewhere private, peaceful, and undisturbed. Father Bailey provides two valid options for respectfully getting rid of a Bible: burning it or burying it. For burying, any location or depth will suffice so long as you’re choosing to bury the Bible somewhere respectful. The burial may be as “involved” as you'd like, though a humble burial is just as valid as one with more pomp and circumstance. Below are just a few ideas you may want to consider for your burial:^{[5]
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Fr. Scott Bailey
Catholic Priest

Expert Interview}
- Gather with family members in quiet reflection.
- Say a prayer as the Bible is buried.
- Mark the buried Bible's location with a small marker.
- Why is burying the Bible okay? This comes from the Jewish ritual of burying objects and texts that are used for religious reasons. It’s considered forbidden to damage holy items, so the Jewish tradition is to bury them.^{[6]
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Cremate the Bible by burning it in a controlled fire. Another way to dispose of a Bible is to respectfully cremate it. Though some who wish to disrespect or desecrate God's word do so by burning it, there is nothing inherently wrong with burning the physical Bible so long as proper solemnity and respect are observed. According to Father Bailey, burning a Bible means building a bonfire or pyre large enough to completely burn the book up, then carefully placing the Bible in the fire and reverently watching as the Bible is burnt.^{[7]
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Fr. Scott Bailey
Catholic Priest

Expert Interview}
- As above, while cremating your Bible, you may want to consider saying a prayer, reflecting in silence, and so on.
- Why is burning the Bible okay? You may think that burning is rude or unholy, but Father Bailey explains: “Burning might seem disrespectful, but it ensures the item is not misused or desecrated.”^{[8]
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  Fr. Scott Bailey
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  Expert Interview} This is actually the same rule we have for disposing of American flags.^{[9]
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Section 4 of 5:

Donating or Recycling

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Donate the Bible to a nonprofit or library. If the Bible is still readable, consider donating it to a person or to a charity that will use it. This allows someone else to experience the word of God who may otherwise not have had the opportunity. Below are just a few ideas for whom you may want to donate your Bible to:
- Churches, which may in turn donate the book to the needy.
- Libraries that may offer the book for checking out or sell it in a fundraiser.
- Christian homeless shelters, many of which offer prayer groups and bible study classes.
- Another similar Bible-distributing charity. For example, some charities will send Bibles to countries where people are persecuted for reading the Bible.
- Love Packages explicitly asks for old Bibles. This nonprofit aims to spread God’s word by collecting unwanted or damaged Bibles, fixing them, and redistributing them to people in need. You can learn more here.^{[10]
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Recycle the Bible to give the book another life. Since the Bible is made out of paper, you may want to dispose of it by recycling it. This is an especially good choice if you're interested in serving God by preserving the natural beauty of His Earth, as recycling reduces the need to cut down trees for new paper.^{[11]
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- There’s absolutely nothing wrong with just setting the Bible in the recycling bin. It might feel a little weird and unceremonial, but you’re not doing anything wrong!

Section 5 of 5:

Salvaging for Personal Use

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Have the Bible restored if it’s important to you. Just because a Bible is old and worn doesn't necessarily mean it has to stay in that condition. Professional book repair and restoration services offer the ability to bring most old or damaged books back to a high level of quality (for a fee). Some of these services even allow you to ship your books to the restorers for repair.^{[12]
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- These types of services are a great choice for when your Bible carries some sort of sentimental significance. However, because restoration fees can be somewhat pricey, they may not make sense for ordinary Bibles.
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Save the Bible for personal use if it’s still readable. Alternatively, you may want to keep the Bible, storing it safely so that its condition deteriorates no further. Though the Bible will no longer be practical for everyday use, it may be able to serve as a family heirloom for you to pass down to your children.
- This option is a good choice when the Bible has sentimental significance but is either too costly or too difficult to repair.

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What can I do if I have burnt a Bible disrespectfully during a time when I was anti-Christian? Will God forgive me?

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The Lord is faithful and just to forgive you. Repent, and if you truly mean what you say in your repentance prayer, He will forgive you.

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Why would one need to dispose of a Bible?

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If the Bible is falling apart or damaged in a way that you can't read it.

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We have a Bible from the family of an acquaintance. We cleared out her apartment on her death but we have no connection to them at all. What should we do?

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You could give it to their family if they want it, or you could donate it to a local church.

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Tips

Many Christians believe that it is the contents of the Bible that makes it sacred, not the paper and ink, and therefore the Bible can be disposed of like any other book.

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Before disposing of your Bible, take a moment to thumb through it, checking for notes or family history. Many people recorded significant family events, like births, marriages, and deaths in their family Bible, and you may want to preserve this information, if it is in yours.

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The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.

Donate a Bible to the county jail. Books can be scarce for inmates, and some of the most sought-after books are religious texts.

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Warnings

The Holy Bible is a very important book to millions of people, and someone could be offended regardless of how you choose to dispose of it. Don’t take it personally.

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