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Two decades after the last edition, the Australian Defence Force (ADF) has officially launched a new Bible, provided by the Bible Society Australia, designed to meet the unique needs of those who serve their country.

On 13 March 2025, the Australian Defence Force (ADF) officially launched a new edition of its military Bible, replacing the version in circulation since 2005.

The ceremony was held at the ADF’s administrative headquarters in Canberra. It marked a significant moment in the history of Christian faith and service within the military community.

Tina King of Bible Society Australia presented the New International Version (NIV) Bible to Major General Sue Graham, who accepted it on behalf of the Chief of the Defence Force.

“We acknowledge in the Defence Force how we are continually supported by the public,” Major General Graham said in response.

“The sacrifice from Bible Society volunteers brought forward today is another embodiment of that.”

“It’s particularly important to have a Bible that is available and relevant to all our soldiers, sailors and aviators.”

The newly published Bible has been tailored to the ADF, including prayers written specifically for members of the Army, Navy, and Air Force.

“This is not a book for a bookshelf,” said Tina King. “It is a book to be near.”

“We hope it will be dog-eared, underlined, searched and cherished.”

The ADF chaplaincy service and Bible Society Australia representatives at the launch of the new military Bible. Tina King is second from the left, followed by Major General Sue Graham, while Principal Chaplain Kerry is second from the right. Image credit: ADF.

A Bible That Saved a Life: Lance Corporal Phillip Davies

At the launch, the Bible Society Australia also presented a historical display of military Bibles dating back to the Boer War.

One exhibit told the remarkable story of Lance Corporal Phillip Davies, who served during World War I. Davies carried his Soldier’s Bible with him in his front shirt pocket.

While he was digging telephone cables at Messines Ridge near Ypres, Belgium, two bomb shells exploded nearby. Shrapnel tore through his arms and legs, killing a fellow soldier and injuring two others.

The next morning, Davies discovered a piece of shrapnel lodged in the back cover of his Bible. Situated right next to his heart, his Bible had saved his life.

The Soldier’s Bible belonging to Lance Corporal Phillip Davies, showing shrapnel holes. Image credit: ADF.

Davies’ Soldier’s Bible, part of a million distributed by the Bible Society at the time, had not only presented him with the way to eternal life. It had also preserved him from a bloody, premature death.

Today, that legacy of providing the Word of God to Defence personnel continues.

Christian Faith on the Front Lines

The Bible Society’s commitment to Australian troops dates back to the First Fleet, when chaplain Richard Johnson brought 2,000 Bibles to the new British colony. An auxiliary of the society was formally established in 1817. Since then, military chaplains and Christian fellowships have helped ensure that service members can access the Scriptures, regardless of where they are stationed.

Director General Chaplaincy – Army, Principal Chaplain Kerry Larwill, spoke about the importance of the Word of God in ADF life at the new NIV Bible launch.

“About 44 per cent of Australians identified as Christian” in the latest census, Chaplain Larwill noted. “And more are interested in spirituality of different varieties.

“For people who serve in Defence, which we know has demands on individuals and their families, it’s a source of light and hope to those who derive their meaning from a Christian perspective or value its wisdom.”

Representatives from various Christian military ministries, including the Military Christian Fellowship of Australia (MCF-A) and the Forum of Christian Military Ministries, also attended the launch.

One unique feature of the new ADF Bible is a foreword written by General (now retired) David Hurley, former Governor-General of Australia and past patron of the MCF-A.

An ADF media release stated that the new NIV military Bibles are now available at Christian chapels on Defence establishments across Australia and can be requested through Defence Force chaplains.

God’s Word: A Shield and Refuge

In times of war and peace, joy and loss, the Word of God remains a steadfast presence for Australia’s Defence personnel.

The Bible is no stranger to the reality of war. It is, after all, a truthful, down-to-earth revelation from God that is fully aware of the human tendency for conflict. The Bible calls this bent towards self, and away from others and God, ‘sin’ or ‘evil’.

It is not surprising, then, that parts of the Bible, written during times of battle, provide relevant reflections for today’s Defence Force.

Around 3,000 years ago, the Israelite King David exclaimed, “Praise be to the Lord my Rock, who trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle. He is my loving God and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer, my shield, in whom I take refuge” (Psalm 144:1–2).

David further reflected that “As for God, his way is perfect: The Lord’s word is flawless; he shields all who take refuge in him. For who is God besides the Lord? And who is the Rock except our God? It is God who arms me with strength and keeps my way secure” (Psalm 18:30–32).

David discovered God’s protection millennia ago. Bullet-ridden during World War I, Davies’ Soldier’s Bible still bears witness to that same reality today.

Australian Christians, grateful for the service and sacrifice of ADF personnel, can continue to pray that those words find fruitful expression in their lives.

No matter who we are, death is inevitable for each of us. But we can know the security of everlasting life that the Bible offers us (John 3:16), as well as God’s presence that will never leave us in this life (Deuteronomy 31:6; Hebrews 13:5).

These promises hold true, whether we find ourselves in times and places of war or peace.

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Images by Corporal Michael Rogers/ADF.