MLA Citation Examples for Bible
The Bible is a central text in the history and culture of Western society, influential even to this day. When writing an essay or research paper, citing The Bible is an important part of properly attributing an author or book in order to avoid plagiarism. The Modern Language Association (MLA) has specific guidelines on how to cite The Bible in your essay or paper.
When citing The Bible using the MLA format, start with the book name, followed by the chapter and verse. For example: “Galatians 5:1”. The title of The Bible should be italicized and only the first word of the book title should be capitalized. As with all MLA citations, the author’s name (which in this case would be “God”) is only included in the citation if mentioned in the sentence.
When citing from the Old Testament, use the terms “Hebrew Bible” or “Tanakh.” For the New Testament, use the term “New Testament.” To cite both the Old and New Testament, use “Hebrew Bible/Old Testament” and “New Testament.” Both citations should be italicized. For example: “In the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament, we read in Genesis that God created the universe… In the New Testament, Jesus is described as being the son of God.”
If you are citing multiple versions of The Bible, include the version name in the citation. For example: “In the King James Version of The Bible, the phrase appears as “John 3:16”. When citing from different versions of The Bible, include the version name in your reference list.
Including the version name in your in-text citation is not necessary. Furthermore, for works that reference passages from different books and/or have multiple authors, include only the book name, chapter and verse in the citation.
When To Quote The Bible
When writing an essay or research paper, it is important to include quotes from The Bible to support major themes or ideas. Quoting a verse from the Bible demonstrates that an author is versed in scripture and is able to use it to support a study or lend credibility to an argument.
When quoting The Bible, use the version name in parentheses after the citation. For example: (King James Version). Also, include the chapter and verse in the sentence itself, rather than in parentheses. Finally, add quotation marks around sentences taken directly from The Bible, but don’t forget to cite it at the end of the sentence.
Quoting Bible Translations
If you are quoting a Bible translation, the citation format will depend on the reference style used. For example, the American Psychological Association (APA) and the Modern Language Association (MLA) use different citation formats.
In the APA style, start with the book name, followed by the chapter and verse. Put a period at the end of the verse to finish the citation. When quoting multiple pages, list the start and end page numbers in the citation. For example: (John 3:16, p. 91-92).
In the MLA style, start with the book name and chapter and verse. Include the translation name in parenthesis, followed by a period to finish the citation. Alternatively, if you are referencing a specific version of The Bible, use the version name in the citation itself. For example: “John 3:16 (King James Version).”
Using First or Third Person in The Bible Citations
When introducing a quote from The Bible, avoid writing it in first person. Instead, refer to it in third person. For example, say: “According to the King James Version, John 3:16 reads…” instead of “I read in the King James Version that John 3:16 reads…”
Including The Bible in Reference Lists and Bibliographies
If you are including The Bible in a bibliography or reference list, the citation should start with the translation name, followed by the reference information. For example:
King James Version. John 3:16.
You do not include a page number in The Bible citation. If you are writing a research paper that includes multiple versions of The Bible, include all version names and the reference information in the bibliography.
Using Other Sources to Interpret The Bible
When citing an interpretation of The Bible from an outside source, list the author’s name and the source’s title in the citation. For example: “According to Smith (2020), John 3:16 reads…”
In-Text Citations for Paraphrased Sections
When paraphrasing an idea from The Bible, it is important to include an in-text citation. Start with the book name, followed by the chapter and verse. For example: “John 3:16”.
Citing Multiple Verses
When citing multiple verses, list them all in the same citation. List each book name, chapter and verse, separating each one with a semicolon. For example: “In John 3:16 we read; “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son”; and in Matthew 5:28 we read “But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart”.
In Summary
The Bible is a central text in the history and culture of Western society and as such, it is important to properly cite it. When citing The Bible, start with the book name followed by the chapter and verse. Remember to italicize the title and only capitalize the first word. When quoting it within a sentence, include the translation name in parenthesis, followed by the chapter and verse. When quoting multiple pages, list the start and end page numbers in the citation. Lastly, when introducing a quote from The Bible avoid writing it in first person. Instead, refer to it in third person.
