Nearly three-quarters of American teenagers believe Jesus rose from the dead and will return to judge good and evil. A little over 11 per cent do not believe it and about 17 per cent are "not sure".

Only 14 per cent think he will return in their lifetime, compared with just over 45 per cent who do not.

These are among the findings of a survey conducted by the American Bible Society (ABS) of a thousand young people aged between 12 and 17.

Asked what they would do differently if they knew Jesus was going to return in their lifetime, 65 per cent said they would do more to help others and 64 per cent said they would pray more. Nearly half said they would spend more time reading the Bible.

The survey was part of an ongoing emphasis by the Bible Society to reach out to American youth with the message that the Bible can change their lives and to discover their religious inclinations and beliefs.

"This study reveals that not only do the majority of American young people believe that Jesus rose from the dead after dying for the sins of humanity, they believe their lives should be lived in gratitude for the gift of redemption by God," said Dr. Eugene Habecker, president of ABS. "The most telling part of this survey, however, is that the majority of teens see a direct relationship in how their actions should reflect a new life that God provides to humanity through the death and resurrection of Jesus."

Founded in 1816 and headquartered in New York City, the American Bible Society is a non-profit, interdenominational organization that works to transform lives, particularly among the young, by promoting personal engagement with the Holy Scriptures. The American Bible Society Web site is www.americanbible.org.