The Holy Bible continues to be the most popular book of all time. It remains the most read, printed, and distributed book. Since the Reformation initiated by Martin Luther in 1517, the Bible has consistently been the most popular book in the world when measured by total copies printed, distributed, and in circulation—far surpassing any other book.

Why? Because only the Holy Bible reveals a personal God that desires an intimate relationship with every single person.
For we are His creation–created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time so that we should walk in them. (Eph 2:10 HCSB)

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (Rom 5:8 NASB)

The whole counsel of Scripture traces one story: a God who initiates, pursues, and dwells with His people. The Bible records that God initiates the pursuit, from Genesis onward.

“Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden… but the LORD God called to the man and said to him, ‘Where are you?'” (Gen 3:8-9 NASB) — Note that God asks “where are you,” not to locate Adam, but to draw him back into relationship. This pattern — God seeking man, not man seeking God — sets the trajectory for the entire Bible, confirmed later:

“We love, because He first loved us.” (1Jo 4:19 NASB)

God speaks to individuals face to face. “Thus the LORD used to speak to Moses face to face, just as a man speaks to his friend.” (Exo 33:11 NASB)

“I have called you by name; you are Mine!” (Isa 43:1 NASB)

“This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. (Joh 17:3 NASB). A repeated theme in the Bible is God wants us to know Him intimately.

The Hebrew word “yada” (to know) — the same intimacy of Genesis 4:1 (“Adam knew Eve his wife”) is used of knowing God. You were created in His image to know Him as He knows you.

“They shall no longer teach… saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they will all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest.” (Jer 31:34 NASB)

God as covenant husband, not distant deity — the book of Hosea makes this explicit: “I will betroth you to Me forever… in lovingkindness and in compassion, and I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness. Then you will know the LORD.” (Hos 2:19-20 NASB)

Jesus reframes disciples as friends, not servants: “No longer do I call you slaves… but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you.” (Joh 15:15 NASB)

Jesus as Shepherd who knows each by name — personal, not corporate:

“He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out… I know My own, and My own know Me.” (Joh 10:3, 14 NASB)

God draws near to the individual heart: “The LORD is near to the brokenhearted, and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” (Psa 34:18 NASB)

“Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” (Jam 4:8 NASB)

Personal, exhaustive knowledge of each person (Psalm 139 — the most explicit statement of divine intimacy with the individual):

“O LORD, You have searched me and known me… You understand my thought from afar… You are intimately acquainted with all my ways.” (Psa 139:1-3 NASB)

Christ standing at the door of the individual, not the crowd: “Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me.” (Rev 3:20 NASB)

Adoption language — sonship, not servitude, confirmed by the Spirit’s cry: “Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, ‘Abba! Father!'” (Gal 4:6 NASB)

The trajectory across all these texts is consistent: God walks in the garden seeking man (Genesis), speaks face to face with Moses (Exodus), promises a covenant where “they will all know Me” (Jeremiah), sends the Son who calls sheep by name and disciples “friends” (John), and ends Scripture with Christ knocking at the door of the individual heart (Revelation). Scripture consistently interprets “knowing God” not as intellectual assent but as the same relational intimacy used elsewhere for marriage and friendship — which is exactly what Joh 17:3 states as the definition of eternal life itself.

“This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.  (Joh 17:3 NASB)