Religion

How to Cite Scripture

Citing scripture can be a confusing part of writing a paper.  Am I supposed to put it in the Bibliography, can I abbreviate?  These questions are different depending on the citation style being used.  Especially if you are used to reading scripture, do not presume that the way you are used to looking up a passage is the same for the citation style.  If you have more questions, please consult the proper section of the citation manual or check with the reference desk.

Citation styles do not normally requireyou to include Scripture in the bibliography of a paper.  One exception is the use of Study Bibles.  If you use the notes or make a reference to the notes within a Study Bible, then that particular version should be included within the bibliography.

APA Style

Parenthetical Citations:

·         For your first citation, identify the translation which you used.
Example: ( John 3:16 New Revised Standard Version)

·         As part of a sentence:
Example: In Psalm 36:1 (New Jerusalem Bible), David...

·         After this, only include the scripture reference, unless you switch translations.

Reference Page:

·         Well-known books such as the Bible do not need to be included on the reference page, unless a professor requires you to do so.

·         If you are using notes from a study Bible, you should include the particular version

Information taken from Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 6th ed., 2010, section 6.18.

MLA Style

General Guidelines:

·         Translations of the Bible or individual books are not underlined, italicized, or placed in quotation marks. However, underline or italicize individual published editions of the Bible.
Example: The New Oxford Annotated Bible includes maps of the Holy Land.

Parenthetical Citations:

·         Books of the Bible are abbreviated; see the MLA Handbook for common abbreviations.
Example: (Phil. 3.8)

·         A period separates chapter and verse.

·         When you first refer to a particular translation, include the name, a comma, and then the passage.
Examples: New Jerusalem Bible, Ezek. 2.6-8

·         After this, only include the scripture reference, unless you switch translations.

Works Cited:

·         Include the title of the Bible, the translation, and the publication information in the citation.
The Holy Bible: Containing the Old and New Testaments with the Apocryphal/Deuterocanonical Books. New York: Collins, 1989. Print. New Revised Standard Version.

Information taken from MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, 7th ed., 2009, sections 5.5.10, 6.4.8, and 7.7.1.

Chicago/Turabian Style

General Guidelines:

·         If you include the name of a book of the Bible in your paper, do not italicize, underline, or abbreviate the title.
Example: Matthew is the first book of the New Testament.

Footnotes, Endnotes, or Parenthetical Citations:

·         Use the abbreviated name of the book. A colon separates chapter and verse.
Example: Phil. 3:8.

·         A list of abbreviations can be found in the Chicago Manual of Style (section 15.1).

·         Include the name of the translation, and spell out the name in the first reference. If you use

·         abbreviations, such as NRSV, include no punctuation.
Example: 1 Cor. 6-10 (New Revised Standard Version).

·         After this, only include the reference, unless you switch translations.

Information taken from A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations (Turabian), 7th ed., 2007, sections 17.5.2 and 24.6.1-4, and from the Chicago Manual of Style, 15th ed., 2003, sections 15.48 – 15.54 and 8.111 – 8.115.