Citing the Bible and other Biblical Resources

Books and versions of the Bible are NOT

• underlined 

• italicized

• or put in "quotation marks" 

However, the titles of individual published editions of the Bible are italicized.

Example:  The King James Version of the Bible was originally published in 1611. 

Example:  The NIV Study Bible includes an introduction to each book of the Bible.

In parenthetical references

• The titles of the books of the Bible are often abbreviated. 
• Access the list of common abbreviations for books of the Bible found in the MLA Handbook.

Example:  (2 Cor. 5.17)

•  A period separates chapter and verse.
  
• State the first element in that works-cited list entry (which is usually the name of the version) followed by a comma the first time you refer to a particular version of the Bible.

Example:  (New International Version, Gen. 3.15)

You do not need to identify the first element of the entry (again, usually the version) in subsequent references unless you switch to a different version.

• Simply cite chapter and verse.

Example:  (Gen. 3.27)

In your Works Cited, include the title of the Bible, the version, and the publication information.

Here are some examples for citing print and online editions of the Bible:

Examples: 

Zondervan NIV Study Bible. Kenneth L. Barker, general editor, full rev. ed., Zondervan, 2002.
                                       

The English Standard Version Bible: Containing the Old and New Testaments with Apocrypha. Oxford UP, 2009. 
                                       

New International Version. Biblica, 2011. BibleGateway.com, www.biblegateway.com/versions/New-International-Version-NIV-Bible/#booklist.

^** Information taken from MLA Handbook, 9^th ed., 2021, section 6.25.