Citing the Bible
Published February 4, 2021. Updated November 13, 2021.
To create a Bible reference or citation, you will need to know the Bible version, book, chapter, and verse. The templates and examples below will show you how to cite the Bible in MLA style, APA style, Chicago style, and Harvard referencing style.
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Citing the Bible in MLA style
Use the version of the Bible, publisher’s details, and year of publication. Abbreviate the book of the Bible in the in-text citation, but do not include it in the full citation. Include the version of the Bible in the first in-text citation, but omit it in subsequent references to the same version.
In-text citation template and example:
(Bible Version, Book abbreviation Chapter.Verse)
(King James Bible, Ps. 62.6)
Works cited entry template and example:
The Bible. Bible Version, Publisher Name, Publisher Location, Year.
The Bible. Authorized King James Version, Brown Books Publishing, Dallas, 2004.
For more examples and information, view our citing the Bible in MLA guide.
Citing the Bible in APA style
Use the version of the Bible, publisher’s details, and year of publication. Religious works are usually cited as having no author in APA.
In-text citation template and example:
(Bible Version, Original publication year/Publication year)
(King James Bible, 1611/1984)
Reference list entry template and example:
Bible Version. (Publication Year). Publisher name. (Original work published Year).
King James Bible. (1984). Cambridge University Press. (Original work published 1611).
For more examples and information, view our citing the Bible in APA guide.
Citing the Bible in Chicago style, notes-bibliography
Bible references are included in the note but omitted from the bibliography. Follow the Bible’s traditional abbreviation when citing specific books. Do not list the Bible version on shortened notes unless it is a different version than the first note.
Footnote template and example:
Note
Book abbreviation Chapter:Verse (Bible Version).
Ps. 139:1 (New International Version).
Shortened note
Book Chapter:Verse.
Ps. 139:1.
Bibliography entry template and example:
According to The Chicago Manual of Style: 17th Edition, Bible references are not included in the bibliography.
For more examples and information, view our citing the Bible in Chicago Style guide.
Citing the Bible in Chicago style, author-date
Bible references are included in the in-text citation but omitted from the reference list. Follow the Bible’s traditional abbreviation when citing specific books.
In-text citation template and example:
(Book abbreviation Chapter:Verse [Bible Version]).
(Ps. 139:1 [New International Version])
Reference list entry template and example:
According to The Chicago Manual of Style: 17th Edition, Bible references are not included in the reference list.
For more examples and information, view our citing the Bible in Chicago Style guide.
How to cite the Bible in Harvard referencing style
The book, chapter, verse(s), and version of the Bible are used.
In-text citation template and example:
(Book Chapter: Verse(s))
(Proverbs 3: 5–6)
Reference list entry template and example:
Book Chapter: Verse(s), Holy Bible. Version.
Proverbs 3: 5–6, Holy Bible. King James Version.
For more examples and information, view our citing the Bible in Harvard Referencing Style guide.
Writing a paper? Don’t forget to include a bibliography.
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To cite a bible verse in MLA style, the core elements required are the title (The Bible), the named version of the bible (if applicable), the publisher name, the book name with chapter and verse numbers, and for online versions, the website name and URL (uniform resource locator). The table below shows how to format the in-text citation and the works-cited entry for a bible verse in MLA style.
In-text citation template and example:
(The Bible,* Book Name. Chapter. Verse/s)
(The Bible, Ps. 1.6-8)
Works-cited entry template and example:
The Bible. Bible Version. Publisher or Website Name, URL. Accessed Day Month Year.
The Bible. New International Version (NIV). Biblica, www.biblica.com/bible/. Accessed 14 Oct. 2021.
Notes
*Write only specific bible versions or editions in italics (e.g., New Jerusalem Bible). Otherwise, do not italicize names of scripture in citations in prose or parenthetical citations (e.g., The Bible). Do italicize “The Bible” in the works-cited entry.
After the specific version or edition of the bible, include the abbreviated book name (e.g., Ezek.) with the chapter number and verse number (e.g., 4.6-8).
Include a period after the book abbreviation. Then separate the chapter number and the verse number(s) with a period.
Include the accessed date if the date of publication is not available for an online version. If a publication date is available, include it after the publisher name.
The bible version and books are never italicized. The titles of the version published separately take the italics formatting.
To in-text cite a quote from the bible, APA style recommends using the version of the bible, publication year, and book, chapter, and verse number of the quote.
In-text citation template and example:
(Version of the Bible, Original Year/Year of Publication, Abbreviated Book. Chapter #:Verse #)
(King James Bible, 1769/2017, Gen. 1:4)
To cite the King James Bible in APA style, the core elements required are the version of the bible, date, publisher, URL, and the date of the original work. The below examples show how the in-text citation and the reference list entry are included for the King James Bible in APA style.
In-text citation template and example:
(Version of the Bible, original year/year published)
(King James Bible, 1769/2017)
Work cited entry template and example:
Bible Version. (Date). Bible Publisher. URL (Original work published date)
King James Bible. (2017). King James Bible Online. https:/www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/ (Original work published 1769).
Notes
Write the bible version in italics.
Include the original work date inside the parenthesis at the end of the citation.
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