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How to Cite the Bible at CAJ
23 Oct 2008
Examples are always in Courier New 12-pt font.
Citing Scripture
General guidelines: When you are citing a scripture verse, you must give the reader the
following information:
-
Translation name (only if the citation is for a direct quote); not underlined or
italicized (MLA Handbook 3.6.5)
Book name (abbreviated—see list below in Appendix; never underlined or italicized)
Chapter number
Verse number
However, not all of this information has to be given in each parenthetical citation if it has
already been given. If one of these pieces of information is contained earlier in the paper
without any intervening, different information, it does not need to be given again. If all your
Scripture quotations are from the New International Version, you only need to give the
version name once in the paper (in the first citation of a direct quote). If all your Scripture
citations are from the book of Matthew, you only need to give the book name once (in the
first citation).
If you switch translations during the paper, you need to give the name of the new translation
when you cite the first direct quote. If you switch books that you’re quoting from, you also
need to give the new book name when you give the first citation from that book. However,
your parenthetical citation must always give the chapter and verse numbers, even if all of
your citations are from the same chapter of the same book. The only time you may omit the
chapter number is when you give the verse number in the text of your sentence and the
chapter number has already been stated. (Example: The Bible begins with this
sentence: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the
earth” (New International Version, Genesis 1.1) The second
verse says, “Now the earth was formless and empty.”)
If you state any of the information as part of your sentence, you do not need to put it in the
parenthetical citation. (Example: According to Genesis 1.1, “In the
beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (New
International Version).)
Examples:
In-text (parenthetical citations):
Direct quote (first usage of translation): “In the beginning God created the
heavens and the earth” (New International Version, Gen. 1.1).
Notice that the chapter and verse are separated by a period, not a colon (1.1 instead of 1:1).
Direct quote (not first usage of translation): “In the beginning God created the
heavens and the earth” (Gen. 1.1).
Indirect (paraphrased) quote: According to the Bible, both the heavens
and the earth were created by God (Gen. 1.1). No translation is given
for an indirect quote.
What to put in the Works Cited:
You need to cite the edition of the Bible in which you read the verses you are citing. If you
used the CAJ-issue NIV Study Bible, your Works Cited entry would be:
NIV Study Bible. Kenneth Barker, gen. ed. Grand Rapids:
Zondervan, 2002.
We know that this means there is something in your Works Cited that may not match exactly
with what is in your parenthetical citation. (In other words, your parenthetical citation for a
verse might say “New International Version,” but the Works Cited entry says “NIV Study
Bible.”) That is all right in this instance.
Citing study help material in a Bible (book introductions, study notes, etc.)
General guidelines: When citing things that are printed in a Bible but are not actually part of
the text of Scripture (such as introductions to a book of the Bible written by scholars, study
notes, etc.), you must give the following information:
-
The particular edition of the Bible that you are citing (underlined or italicized—MLA
Handbook 3.6.5).
The page number in that edition of the Bible on which the information you are citing
can be found.
The main thing to remember is that you are citing a particular edition, not a translation of the
Bible. There are many, many different editions of the Bible that contain the New
International Version translation (such as the NIV Study Bible, the NIV Teen Study Bible,
etc.). These editions contain the same Bible translation but have different study help material.
This is why it is important to be clear about which edition you are using.
Examples:
In-text (parenthetical):
Citation from book introduction: “Historically, Jews and Christians alike
have held that Moses was the author/compiler of the first five
books of the OT” (NIV Study Bible 2).
Citation from study note: According to the NIV Study Bible’s study note
on Genesis 1.1, “The Bible always assumes, and never argues,
God’s existence” (5).
Citation from text note: According to the NIV Study Bible’s text note
on 1 Thessalonians 1.1, some early manuscripts add the phrase
“you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ” to “Grace
and peace to you” (1861).
Indirect citation: The prophet Amos probably ministered between 760
and 750 B.C. (NIV Study Bible 1368).
Works Cited entry for NIV Study Bible:
NIV Study Bible. Kenneth Barker, gen. ed. Grand Rapids:
Zondervan, 2002.
Test Your Knowledge
1. What is wrong with this example? There are three errors.
In the book of John, Jesus claims to be “the way and the truth
and the life” (New International Version, John 14:6).
2. What is wrong with this example? There is one error.
When Jesus was on the Mount of Olives before his crucifixion,
his sweat became like blood (New International Version, Luke
22.44).
3. What is wrong with this example?
The Bible speaks about murder several times. When God gave
Moses the Ten Commandments, He said, “You shall not murder”
(New International Version, Exod. 20.13). In the Sermon on the
Mount, Jesus said, “You have heard that it was said to the
people long ago, ‘Do not murder, and anyone who murders will
be subject to judgment.’ But I tell you that anyone who is
angry with his brother will be subject to judgment” (New
International Version, Matt. 5.21-22).
Frequently Asked Questions
1. I found a verse on Biblegateway.com. How do I cite this?
Although Biblegateway.com is a great tool for searching the Bible quickly, it is no
replacement for opening up a printed Bible to the proper page and looking at the verse in
context. Thus, when you cite a Bible verse at CAJ, we expect that you looked it up in a
printed version of the Bible (such as the NIV Study Bible that CAJ provides for all students).
We expect this even if you found the verse on Biblegateway.com (or some other online
search engine) in the first place. On your Works Cited page, you should cite the printed Bible
that you used.
2. I only used indirect citations in my paper. (In other words, I never quoted the Bible
word-for-word, and thus never needed to give a translation name.) What do I put on
my Works Cited page?
On your Works Cited page, give the information for the translation of the Bible that you
looked at as you wrote the paper. This will look exactly the same as the information you
would give if you had used direct quotes.
3. I only cite the Bible once in my paper. Do I really need to include an entry on the
Works Cited page for this?
Yes.
4. I quote from several different translations in my paper. What should I put on the
Works Cited page?
On your Works Cited page, you should include entries for each translation from which you
quoted.
Appendix: Bible Book Abbreviations (MLA Handbook 7.7.1)
Old Testament
Abbreviation:
Book:
Gen.
Genesis
Exod.
Exodus
Lev.
Leviticus
Num.
Numbers
Deut.
Deuteronomy
Josh.
Joshua
Judg.
Judges
Ruth
Ruth
1 Sam.
1 Samuel
2 Sam.
2 Samuel
1 Kings
1 Kings
2 Kings
2 Kings
1 Chron.
1 Chronicles
2 Chron.
2 Chronicles
Ezra
Ezra
Neh.
Nehemiah
Esth.
Esther
Job
Job
Ps.
Psalms
Prov.
Proverbs
Eccles.
Ecclesiastes
Song Sol. (also Cant.) Song of Solomon (also Canticles)
Isa.
Isaiah
Jer.
Jeremiah
Lam.
Lamentations
Ezek.
Ezekiel
Dan.
Daniel
Hos.
Hosea
Joel
Joel
Amos
Amos
Obad.
Jon.
Mic.
Nah.
Hab.
Zeph.
Hag.
Zech.
Mal.
Obadiah
Jonah
Micah
Nahum
Habakkuk
Zephaniah
Haggai
Zechariah
Malachi
New Testament
Matt.
Mark
Luke
John
Acts
Rom.
1 Cor.
2 Cor.
Gal.
Eph.
Phil.
Col.
1 Thess.
2 Thess.
1 Tim.
2 Tim.
Tit.
Philem.
Heb.
Jas.
1 Pet.
2 Pet.
1 John
2 John
3 John
Jude
Rev. (also Apoc.)
Matthew
Mark
Luke
John
Acts
Romans
1 Corinthians
2 Corinthians
Galatians
Ephesians
Philippians
Colossians
1 Thessalonians
2 Thessalonians
1 Timothy
2 Timothy
Titus
Philemon
Hebrews
James
1 Peter
2 Peter
1 John
2 John
3 John
Jude
Revelation (also Apocalypse)