Citing the Bible in your academic paper or research work is an essential skill, especially for those pursuing religious studies or theology. It’s important to know that there are different citation styles used for biblical sources, such as APA, MLA, and Chicago, among others. Each style has its own guidelines for formatting in-text citations and reference entries, thus ensuring accuracy in scholarly communication.
As a researcher or a student, it’s crucial to understand the basic structure of Bible citations, which typically include the bible version, book, chapter, and verse numbers. Since the Bible is regarded as a primary source with no author, you’ll also need to know how to cite it both in the body of your paper and in the reference list. Additionally, you might encounter specific types of Bible sources, such as study Bibles, ebooks, or online versions, which may require unique citation methods.
Key Takeaways
- Different citation styles have specific guidelines for biblical sources
- In-text citations and reference entries require the Bible version, book, chapter, and verse numbers
- Understand unique citation methods for specific types of Bible sources
Understanding Different Citation Styles
When citing the Bible, it’s important to know that there are different citation styles. Each style follows specific guidelines and has its own requirements that must be followed. In this section, we will briefly discuss the three main citation styles used: APA Style, MLA Style, and Chicago/Turabian Style.
APA Style
The American Psychological Association (APA) has developed a citation style commonly used in social sciences. When using the APA 7th ed guidelines, we need to remember the following key points:
- Cite the Bible using the general book citation format, but omit the author element
- List the specific version used (e.g., New International Version), not just “The Bible”
- Include a URL if you accessed an online version
- No italics for the Bible version
For example, an APA citation for the Bible could look like this:
New International Version. (2011). Retrieved from https://www.example.com/niv-bible
MLA Style
The Modern Language Association (MLA) has its own citation style, commonly used in humanities and language-related subjects. Following the MLA Handbook, we need to keep these points in mind while citing the Bible:
- Include the Bible’s title, but abbreviate it if necessary (omit “The” from the beginning)
- List the specific version used (e.g., King James Version)
An example of an MLA Bible citation is:
King James Version. Oxford UP, 1973.
Finally, for in-text citations, include the version and the specific chapter and verse, like this: (KJV, John 3.16)
Chicago/Turabian Style
The Chicago Manual of Style and its student version, A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations (commonly called Turabian), are widely used in history and other disciplines. For citing the Bible in the Chicago/Turabian Style, these are the main points to remember:
- No italics for the Bible version
- Indicate the specific version used
An example of a Chicago/Turabian citation for the Bible is:
The Holy Bible: New Revised Standard Version. (1989).
In-text citations should include the version, book, chapter, and verse, like this: (NRSV, Ps. 23.1).
In conclusion, when citing the Bible, it is essential to understand and follow the citation style guidelines for APA, MLA, or Chicago/Turabian to ensure proper formatting and consistency within your work.
Basic Structure of Bible Citations
In this section, we will discuss the basic structure of Bible citations in three popular citation styles: APA, MLA, and Chicago/Turabian. Each citation style has its guidelines for citing the Bible, which can include information on the line, author, date, source, version, publisher, year, chapter, and verse of the reference. To make this information clear and concise for readers, we will use appropriate formatting techniques such as tables, lists, bold, and italic text.
Citing the Bible in APA
In APA style, when citing the Bible, it is important to include the book, chapter, and verse numbers, as well as the version of the Bible used. The following is the basic structure of a Bible citation in an APA reference list:
Book of the Bible. (Year of Publication). Title of the Bible Version (Ed.). Publisher. URL (if applicable)
To cite the Bible in-text, use the book, chapter, and verse numbers. For example:
*(John 3:16, New International Version)
Note that the publisher and year are not required for in-text citations in APA style. More information on citing the Bible in APA style can be found in this Scribbr article.
Citing the Bible in MLA
In MLA style, the Bible is cited differently from other book citations. For in-text citations, use the book, chapter, and verse numbers rather than the page number. The Works Cited entry should include the version of the Bible used and a URL if you accessed an online version of the Bible. Here is the structure for a Bible citation in MLA format:
Title of the Bible Version. Edited by Editor’s First and Last Name, Publisher, Year of Publication. URL (if applicable)
For in-text citations, use the book, chapter, and verse numbers. For example:
*(John 3:16, New International Version)
Further details on citing the Bible in MLA style can be found in this Scribbr article.
Citing the Bible in Chicago/Turabian
In Chicago/Turabian style, Bible citations are typically treated as a primary source, and footnote citations are commonly used. In the bibliography, list the Bible as a book without an author, but include the specific version used. The structure for a Bible citation in a Chicago/Turabian bibliography is as follows:
Title of the Bible Version. Place of Publication, Publisher, Year of Publication.
In-text citations in Chicago/Turabian style usually include the book, chapter, and verse numbers in a footnote. For example:
1. John 3:16, New International Version.
Remember that, in Chicago/Turabian style, it is essential to include the specific version of the Bible used in your citations.
In-Text Citations of the Bible
In this section, we will discuss how to create in-text citations for the Bible using three different citation styles: APA, MLA, and Chicago/Turabian. Properly citing the Bible is crucial to ensure that you give credit to the source, while also maintaining clarity and accuracy in your work.
In-Text Citation APA
When using the APA citation style, to create an in-text citation for a specific verse from the Bible, include an abbreviated book title followed by the chapter and verse number in parentheses. Remember to italicize the book title. For example:
In the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth (Gen. 1:1).
Here, “Gen.” is the abbreviation for Genesis, followed by the chapter and verse number. Additionally, you may use this abbreviation for all subsequent citations.
In-Text Citation MLA
For the MLA citation style, the first Bible citation in your text should include the abbreviated book title and, if necessary, omit “The” from the beginning. Just like in APA, the book title should be italicized. Include the chapter and verse number in parentheses. For example:
In the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth (Gen. 1:1).
After the first citation, you can omit the book title in subsequent citations, and simply provide the chapter and verse number. For example:
“And the earth was without form, and void” (1:2).
In-Text Citation Chicago/Turabian
For Chicago/Turabian citation style, you should create a parenthetical citation with the book’s abbreviated title, followed by the chapter and verse number, separated by a colon. Here, the book title is not italicized. For example:
In the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth (Gen. 1:1).
When using the Chicago/Turabian style, you should also include a bibliography entry that lists the translation of the Bible you are using. In your bibliography, the Bible title should be italicized, with the translation and publication information provided.
By following these guidelines and formatting rules for each citation style, you can create clear and accurate in-text citations of the Bible in your work.
Specific Types of Bible Sources
Print Bibles
When citing a print Bible, the most important elements to include are the book, chapter, and verse, as well as the version or translation you are using. For example:
Genesis 1:1 (New Living Translation)
It is not necessary to include the editor or publication date, as most Bibles do not have these elements. However, if the Bible you are citing has a specific editor or publication date, you could include this information in your citation.
Online Bibles
For online Bibles, the citation process is slightly different. You’ll need to include the same information as with a print Bible, but also add the URL of the website where you found the verse. It is also a good idea to include the name of the website in italics, followed by the online version, as websites often have multiple translations available. For example:
Genesis 1:1 (New Living Translation). Bible Gateway. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+1%3A1&version=NLT
Remember to provide an active link to the specific verse when citing an online Bible.
Ebook Bibles
When citing an ebook Bible, the process is similar to citing a print Bible, with a few extra details. In addition to the book, chapter, and verse, you will need to include information about the ebook format and the URL of the ebook or the platform where you accessed it. Here’s an example:
Genesis 1:1 (New Living Translation). Ebook Bible. Online Platform URL
In this case, replace “Online Platform URL” with the actual URL from which you accessed the ebook Bible. Make sure the ebook version and platform are included in your citation.
We hope this information helps you effectively cite various types of Bible sources in your research and writing.
Finalizing the Reference List
When creating the reference list for our article about citing the Bible, it is crucial to ensure that we include accurate and consistent information. This will help our readers easily locate the specific editions and translations we have referenced.
First, we need to include the title of the Bible version we used, italicized, and followed by the year of publication or translation. Here is the general format:
Italicized Bible Version Title (Year). Publisher.
For example:
English Standard Version Bible (2016). Crossway.
In our reference page, we should carefully note the biblical abbreviations used in our in-text citations. List them alphabetically to make navigation easier for our readers.
| Abbreviation | Book |
| Gen. | Genesis |
| Ex. | Exodus |
| Lev. | Leviticus |
| … | … |
For in-text citations, we will use the biblical abbreviation followed by the chapter and verse numbers. Here’s how it should look like:
(Bible Version Name, Year, Abbrev. Chapter Number number(s))
For example:
(English Standard Version Bible, 2016, Matt. 6:33)
If the same Bible version is being cited repeatedly, we can omit the version title and publishing year after the first citation:
(Matt. 6:33)
In the reference list entry, make sure to include the Bible version name and year, to maintain consistency with the in-text citations. While it is often not necessary to name individual chapters and verses, we should always provide sufficient information to help our readers locate the passages discussed in the article.
By adhering to these guidelines, we can create a clear, easy-to-navigate, and helpful reference list for our readers, ensuring that all sources are accurately represented in our final output.
Frequently Asked Questions
