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How to Cite the Bible in MLA | Format & Examples

Published on January 21, 2021 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on June 16, 2022.

MLA in-text citations of the Bible differ from other book citations in that they list the book, chapter, and verse rather than the page number.

In the Works Cited entry, it’s important to list the version of the Bible you used, not just “The Bible.” Include a URL if you accessed an online version of the Bible.

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Table of contents

Mla in-text citations of the bible, version information in the works cited entry, frequently asked questions about mla citations.

In your in-text citations, MLA recommends abbreviating the names of the different books of the Bible. A list of standard abbreviations can be found here .

Additionally, chapter and verse numbers are separated by a period in MLA style, not a colon—unlike in some other styles.

  • (Ezek. 1:5)
  • (Ezek. 1.5)

Use an en dash to indicate a range of verses. If the range extends across chapters, include the new chapter number after the dash; otherwise, don’t repeat the chapter number.

  • (Ezek. 1.5–1.6)
  • (Ezek. 1.5–6)
  • (Ezek. 1.5–2.1)

The first Bible citation in your text should include the Bible’s title , abbreviated if necessary (and always omitting “ The ” from the beginning).

You can omit this part in subsequent citations. However, if you are citing multiple different versions of the Bible, include the title each time to clarify which you’re referring to, and include a separate entry for each version in your Works Cited list.

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The format of the Works Cited entry varies depending on whether the version is already clear from the title or needs to be clarified afterwards. Use the following format if the version is already clear from the title.

If the version needs to be clarified, do so after the title. This version information is capitalized but not italicized, and it is separated from the title with a period.

If a source has no author, start the MLA Works Cited entry with the source title . Use a shortened version of the title in your MLA in-text citation .

If a source has no page numbers, you can use an alternative locator (e.g. a chapter number, or a timestamp for a video or audio source) to identify the relevant passage in your in-text citation. If the source has no numbered divisions, cite only the author’s name (or the title).

If you already named the author or title in your sentence, and there is no locator available, you don’t need a parenthetical citation:

  • Rajaram  argues that representations of migration are shaped by “cultural, political, and ideological interests.”
  • The homepage of The Correspondent describes it as “a movement for radically different news.”

In MLA style , book titles appear in italics, with all major words capitalized. If there is a subtitle, separate it from the main title with a colon and a space (even if no colon appears in the source). For example:

The format is the same in the Works Cited list and in the text itself. However, when you mention the book title in the text, you don’t have to include the subtitle.

The title of a part of a book—such as a chapter, or a short story or poem in a collection—is not italicized, but instead placed in quotation marks.

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  • Introduction: Using and Citing Texts from the Bible

How to Cite and Reference Bible Texts in the APA 7th Edition Style

The Bible is a collection of books with many good principles that are applicable to everyday life. If you are new to reading and citing Bible texts, you may like to read the Quick-Start-Guide on “Introduction to Using and Citing Texts from the Bible” first.  If you’ve been reading the Bible and would like to learn how to cite Bible texts to support your essay arguments in the APA 7 format, this guide is for you.  

Bible texts may be cited in the APA 7 style similar to how we would cite a book. However, here are some points specific to citing and referencing Bible texts. Firstly, Bible texts are treated as not having an author. Instead, texts are cited and referenced based on the English translation version that was used. Secondly, we include the exact location of the text, whether we used the text as a direct quote, in a paraphrase, or in a summary. This is a general rule that also applies to texts from other religious books such as the Quran.  

In-Text Citations of Bible Texts in APA 7  

The selected version name is treated as a title and should be italicized (see examples below). Each book in the biblical library has a standardized abbreviation that can be used to indicate the specific location of a verse or a range of verses. For example, Matthew can be abbreviated as ‘Matt’ (see examples below). Check the complete list of standard abbreviations from the website below. The citation may be in a parenthetical or narrative format (see Example 4 below).  

Bible passages are coded by Book Chapter:Verse(s)    

Example : Jn. 3:16 and Eph. 3:14-21  

Basic In-Text Citation Format with Examples  

Basic In-Text Citation Format: 

( Bible Version Name , Year, Abbrev. Chapter Number:Verse number(s))  

Example 1 :    ( English Standard Version Bible , 2016, Matt. 6:33) – for a single verse   

Example 2 :    ( English Standard Version Bible , 2016, Matt. 6:31-34) – for a range of verses  

If the Bible is a repeat citation , the version title may be abbreviated:  

Example 3 : ( ESV , 2016, Matt. 6:33)  

If you would like to paraphrase the reference in a narrative format , you may write it as follows:  

Example 4 : In Matt. 6:33, Jesus encourages people to prioritize God’s kingdom in their lives ( ESV , 2016).  

Basic Bible Reference Format with Example  

Basic Reference Format: 

Bible Version Name . (Year). Publisher. URL  

Example :   International Standard Version Bible. (2014). Bible Gateway. https://www.biblegateway.com/  

Classical Texts with Original Publication Dates  

If the text is cited is a reprint from a classical version of the Bible, for example the King James Bible that was originally published in 1611, the format is:  

King James Version Bible . (1987). Bible Gateway. (Original work published 1611).  

Online Bible and Complete List of Abbreviated Names for the Books of the Bible  

https://www.biblegateway.com/  

https://www.esv.org/resources/esv-global-study-bible/list-of-abbreviations/  

Some Helpful Websites for APA 7 Formatting of In-Text citations and References  

Books and eBooks – APA Writing Guide – Research Guides at Liberty University  

https://libguides.up.edu/apa/biblical_sources    

Test Your Understanding  

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MLA Writing Guide: Citing the Bible

  • Formatting for Individual Papers
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  • Article Examples
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  • Citing the Bible

What follows below are some examples of how to cite the Bible in MLA. For more detailed information and examples, please see Liberty University's Writing Center MLA citation examples or MLA's style site .

In-text Citation

Include the version (ESV, NIV, ASB, etc.) followed by the book, chapter, and verse(s). 

Paul explains salvation when he says, "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast" ( English Standard Version , Eph. 2:8-9). 

You do not need to list the version in subsequent in-text citations as long as you are using the same Bible version throughout your paper.

Works Cited

Physical Bible:

The Bible . Authorized King James Version, Oxford UP, 1998. 

The ESV Study Bible . Crossway, 2012.

Electronic Bible :

New International Version. Bible Gateway, https://www.biblegateway.com/versions/New-International-Version-NIV-Bible/#booklist. Accessed 10 September 2020.

Bible App :

English Standard Version. ESV Bible, app version 4.1.1. Crossway. 2021.

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MLA Style (9th Edition) Citation Guide: Biblical Sources

  • Introduction to MLA Style
  • Journal Articles
  • Magazine/Newspaper Articles
  • Books & Ebooks
  • Government & Legal Documents
  • Biblical Sources
  • Secondary Sources
  • Videos/DVDs/TV Shows
  • How to Cite: Other
  • 9th Edition Updates
  • Additional Help

Table of Contents

Bible dictionary, single-volume commentary, multi-volume bible commentary, book-length commentary in a series, citing the bible.

Note: For your Works Cited list, all citations should be double spaced and have a hanging indent.

A "hanging indent" means that each subsequent line after the first line of your citation should be indented by 0.5 inches.

Name of Generic Religious Texts in the Body of Your Paper

Do not italicize or use quotation marks in your paper when referring to a generic religious text. These terms appear without italics or quotation marks when referred to in your paper:

Bible, Old Testament, Genesis, Gospels, Talmud, Qur'an (Koran), Upanishads.

Only italicize titles of individual published editions of religous texts (e.g., The Talmud of the Land of Israel: A Preliminary Translation and Explanation, The Interlinear Bible, etc.) when specifically citing them in your paper.

In-Text Citations

The titles of books of scripture are often abbreviated for the in-text citation. For a full list of abbreviations, consult section 1.6.4 of the MLA Handbook.

Author's Last Name, First Name Middle Name if Given. “Title of Entry.” Title of Work , edited by Editor’s First Middle Last Name, vol. volume#, Publisher, Year published, pp. first page-last page.

Works Cited List Example:

 Sarna, Nahum M. “Exodus, Book of.” The Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary , edited by Daniel Noel Freedman, vol. 2, Yale UP, 2008, pp. 689-700.

In-Text Citation Example:

 (Author's Last Name Page Number)

 Example: (Sarna 690)  

Author's Last Name, First Name Middle Name if Given. “Title of Entry.” Title of Work , edited by Editor’s First Middle Last Name, Edition# ed., vol. volume#, Publisher, Year published. Database, URL of the entry.

Browning, W. R. F. “Daniel, Book of.” A Dictionary of the Bible , 2nd ed., Oxford UP, 2009. Oxford Reference , www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/acref/9780199543984.001.0001/acref-9780199543984-e-485.

 (Author's Last Name) -  if the online source does not provide page numbers then omit the page number from the in-text citation

 Example: (Browning)  

A single-volume commentary is a book that contains chapters covering each of the books of the Bible.

Author's Last Name, First Name Middle Name if Given. “Title of Entry.” Title of Work , edited by Editor’s First Middle Last Name, Second Editor’s First Middle Last Name, and Third Editor’s First Middle Last Name, Publisher, Year published, pp. first page-last page.

Perkins, Pheme. “The Gospel According to John.” The New Jerome Biblical Commentary,  edited by Raymond E. Brown, Joseph A. Fitzmyer, and Roland E. Murphy, Prentice-Hall, 1990, pp. 942-85.

(Author's Last Name) Page Number

Example: (Perkins 955)  

Author's Last Name, First Name Middle Name if Given. “Title of Entry.” Title of Work , edited by Editor’s First Middle Last Name and Second Editor’s First Middle Last Name, Publisher, Year published. Database , URL of the entry.

Franklin, Eric. “Luke.” Oxford Bible Commentary , edited by John Barton and John Muddiman, Oxford UP, 2001.  ProQuest Ebook Central , ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/up/detail.action?docID=3052723&pq-origsite=primo.

(Author's Last Name)

 Example: (Franklin)  

A multi-volume commentary is a set of multiple books that contains chapters covering each of the books of the Bible.

Perkins, Pheme. “Mark.” The New Interpreter’s Bible , edited by Leander E. Keck, vol. 8, Abingdon Press, 1994, pp. 507-734. 

 Example: (Perkins 601) 

A book-length commentary is a book that includes commentary on just one book of the Bible (and sometimes only part of one book of the Bible).

Author's Last Name, First Name Middle Name if Given. Title of Book . Title of Series. Publisher, Year published.

Vinson, Richard Bolling. Luke . Smyth & Helwys Bible Commentary. Smyth & Helwys, 2008. 

 Example: (Vinson 302)

Author's Last Name, First Name Middle Name if Given. Title of Book . Title of Series. Publisher, Year published. Database , URL.

Vinson, Richard Bolling. Luke. Smyth & Helwys Bible Commentary. Smyth & Helwys, 2008.  EBSCOhost , search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=nlebk&AN=942774&site=ehost-live&scope=site.

Citing the Version of the Bible

The first time you paraphrase or quote from the Bible, identify which version of the Bible that you used. You do not need to repeat the version name in subsequent references. You also do not need to cite the Bible in your bibliography.

In-Text Indication of the Bible Version Used

The researchers consulted the Bible (King James Version) to provide items for the development of their religious values assessment.

Bibliography

No citation needed

Citing Biblical Chapters and Verses

When referring to books of the Bible within the body of your paper:

  • Example: Genesis, Luke 4, Revelation 1-3
  • Example: Exod 2:1-3; Matt 13:12

Note: it isn't necessary to add a period after the abbreviated book name. Include a space between the book name and the chapter number, and include a colon between the chapter number and the verse(s).

Citing Introductions, Annotations, or Supplemental Content in the Bible

Works Cited List Examples:

Carr, David M. Introduction to Genesis. The New Oxford Annotated Bible with Apocrypha: New Revised Standard Version , edited by Michael D. Coogan et al., Oxford UP, 2010, pp. 7-11. 

Kaiser, Walter C. and Duane Garrett, editors. Footnote to Genesis 1:12.  NIV Archaeological Study Bible: An Illustrated Walk Through Biblical History and Culture, by Kaiser and Garrett,  Zondervan, 2006, p. 20.

In-Text Citation Examples:

(Kaiser and Garrett 4)

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How to Cite the Bible

Last Updated: May 7, 2020

This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Jennifer Mueller, JD . Jennifer Mueller is a wikiHow Content Creator. She specializes in reviewing, fact-checking, and evaluating wikiHow's content to ensure thoroughness and accuracy. Jennifer holds a JD from Indiana University Maurer School of Law in 2006. This article has been viewed 363,164 times. Learn more...

When used as a reference in research papers or articles, the Bible and other classic works have a different citation format than other works. The specifics also vary depending on whether you're using the Modern Language Association (MLA), American Psychological Association (APA), or Chicago/Turabian citation styles. Turabian is the student's version of the Chicago manual, which is more extensive. Neither APA nor Chicago requires a full citation entry in your reference list at the end of your paper. However, your instructor or editor may want one. [1] X Research source

Let wikiHow Create Your Citation!

Step 1 Start your Works Cited entry with the version you used.

  • Example: The New Oxford Annotated Bible.

Variation: If the version you used has a specific author listed, lead with the author's name, then provide the title of the version. For example: Peterson, Eugene H. The Message: The Bible in Contemporary Language.

Step 2 Include the editor's name if listed.

  • Example: The New Oxford Annotated Bible. Edited by Michael D. Coogan,

Step 3 Close with publication information.

  • Example: The New Oxford Annotated Bible. Edited by Michael D. Coogan, Oxford University Press, 2007.

MLA Works Cited Entry Format:

Title of Version in Title Case . Edited by First Name A. Last Name, Publisher, Year.

Step 4 List the URL and your date of access for online Bibles.

  • Example: New International Version. Bible Gateway, www.biblegateway.com. Accessed 29 Jan. 2019.

Step 5 List the version in your first in-text citation.

  • Example: ( New International Version , Rom. 12.2).

Step 6 Provide only book, chapter, and verse for subsequent citations.

  • In-text citations are designed to point your readers to the full citation listed in your Works Cited. If you used several different versions of the Bible as sources, let your readers know when you've switched to a different version by adding the name of the version to the parenthetical citation.

Step 1 Identify the version you used in your first parenthetical citation.

  • For example: "In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly father" (Matt. 5:16 New Living Translation).

Step 2 Include only the book, chapter, and verse in subsequent in-text citations.

  • For example: "In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly father" (Matt. 5:16).
  • If you switch to a different version, for example, if you were comparing translations, then you would list the different version in the parenthetical citation.

Tip: If you're using the same version and you list the book, chapter, and verse in the body of your paper, no parenthetical citation is needed.

Step 3 Include a reference list entry if required by your editor or instructor.

  • For example, your reference list entry might look like this: The New Oxford Annotated Bible. (2007). M. D. Coogan (Ed.). Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.

Chicago/Turabian

Step 1 List the book, chapter, and verse in a footnote.

  • Example: 1 Cor. 13:4
  • If you're citing several books or chapters of the same book in the same footnote, separate those citations with a semi-colon. For example: 1 Cor. 13:4; 15:12-29.
  • A list of abbreviations used in Chicago or Turabian style can be found at http://hbl.gcc.libguides.com/BibleAbbrevChicago if you don't have a copy of the manual handy.

Tip: Chicago has a list of traditional abbreviations as well as another list of shorter abbreviations. Typically you can use either as long as you use the same one consistently. However, you may want to ask your editor or instructor which they prefer.

Step 2 Close your footnote citation with the name of the version you used.

  • Example: 1 Cor. 13:4 Revised Standard Version
  • After your first footnote, there's no need to add the name of the version unless you switch to a different version, such as if you were comparing translations.

Step 3 Include an entry in your bibliography if requested by your editor or instructor.

  • For example, your bibliography entry might be formatted like this: Coogan, Michael D., ed. The New Oxford Annotated Bible. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2007.

You Might Also Like

Look up a Bible Verse

  • ↑ https://www.messiah.edu/download/downloads/id/1647/bible_cite.pdf
  • ↑ http://libanswers.hiu.edu/faq/40591
  • ↑ https://hbl.gcc.libguides.com/c.php?g=339562&p=2286667
  • ↑ https://hbl.gcc.libguides.com/c.php?g=339562&p=2286666

Community Q&A

wikiHow Staff Editor

  • If you're using an annotated or study Bible and quote or paraphrase an annotation or study guide notes, cite the book as you would any other book. Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0
  • When mentioning the Bible generally in the body of your paper, the title is capitalized but not italicized or underlined. However, if you are mentioning a specific annotated or study Bible with its own title, format the title the same as you would titles to other books (usually in italics). Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

how do you cite the bible in an essay

  • Some versions of the Bible use Roman numerals for books of the Bible. Don't use Roman numerals either in your paper or in your citations. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 1

About This Article

Jennifer Mueller, JD

If you want to cite the Bible using MLA format, start with the title of the specific version of the Bible you used in italics. Then, include the editor's name, if listed, the name of the publisher, and the year it was published. You will also want to list the URL and the date you accessed the site, if you are citing an online Bible. To write your first in-text citation in MLA format, follow the quote with the italicized title of the Bible that you used, followed by a comma, then the book, chapter, and verse. After the first citation, your subsequent citations won't need to include the title. For more advice, including how to cite the bible in APA format, scroll down! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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How to Cite the Bible in MLA Style

Last Updated: January 31, 2023 References

This article was co-authored by wikiHow Staff . Our trained team of editors and researchers validate articles for accuracy and comprehensiveness. wikiHow's Content Management Team carefully monitors the work from our editorial staff to ensure that each article is backed by trusted research and meets our high quality standards. There are 13 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been viewed 81,716 times.

The Modern Language Association (MLA) citation style is commonly used in the humanities and liberal arts. In MLA style, you'll use a parenthetical in-text citation to direct the reader to a more complete listing in your reference page at the end of your work. Citing the Bible can be a little tricky, but the key is to just include as much information as you can find in the correct order.

Creating an In-text Citation

Step 1 Begin the citation with an open parenthesis at the end of the sentence.

  • Jesus establishes that the second commandment is "You shall love your neighbor as yourself" (.

Step 2 Add the title of the Bible you're using in italics.

  • Jesus establishes that the second commandment is "You shall love your neighbor as yourself" ( HarperCollins Study Bible,
  • Jesus establishes that the second commandment is "You shall love your neighbor as yourself" (The Bible,
  • If you use the same Bible throughout, you can leave off the Bible name after you cite it the first time.
  • (New Revised Standard Version, [3] X Research source

Step 3 Use an abbreviated version of the book name.

  • Jesus establishes that the second commandment is "You shall love your neighbor as yourself" ( HarperCollins Study Bible, Mark
  • A longer book, such as Ezekiel, might look like this: ( HarperCollins Study Bible, Ezek.

Step 4 Put the chapter and verse next, separated by a period.

  • Jesus establishes that the second commandment is "You shall love your neighbor as yourself" ( HarperCollins Study Bible, Mark 12.31
  • ( HarperCollins Study Bible, Mark 12.30-33
  • ( HarperCollins Study Bible, Mark 12.31,34
  • ( HarperCollins Study Bible, Mark 12.31-13.2

Step 5 End with a close parenthesis and the final period.

  • Jesus establishes that the second commandment is "You shall love your neighbor as yourself" ( HarperCollins Study Bible, Mark 12.31).

Creating a Bibliographical Entry

Step 1 Put the title of the Bible you're using first.

  • HarperCollins Study Bible.

Step 2 Add the version next.

  • HarperCollins Study Bible. New Revised Standard Version,

Step 3 Include the editor if your Bible has one.

  • HarperCollins Study Bible. New Revised Standard Version. Edited by Rebecca James,

Step 4 Use the publication city next, followed by a colon and the publisher.

  • HarperCollins Study Bible. New Revised Standard Version, New York: HarperCollins,

Step 5 Include the publication date.

  • HarperCollins Study Bible. New Revised Standard Version, New York: HarperCollins, 1993.

Making a Bibliographical Entry for an Online Bible

Step 1 Place the version first.

  • New Revised Standard Version.

Step 2 Add the name of the organization behind the website next.

  • New Revised Standard Version. Bible Gateway,

Step 3 Put the URL after the organization name.

  • New Revised Standard Version. Bible Gateway, https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+12&version=NRSV .

Step 4 End the entry with the date accessed.

  • New Revised Standard Version. Bible Gateway, https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+12&version=NRSV . Accessed 28 Sept. 2018.

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  • ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/mla_style/mla_formatting_and_style_guide/mla_in_text_citations_the_basics.html
  • ↑ https://www.jbu.edu/assets/writing-center/resource/How_to_Cite_the_Bible.pdf
  • ↑ http://libanswers.hiu.edu/faq/40591
  • ↑ https://library.uph.edu/citations/bible
  • ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/mla_style/mla_formatting_and_style_guide/mla_works_cited_page_books.html
  • ↑ https://style.mla.org/category/ask-the-mla/?s=bible
  • ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/mla_style/mla_formatting_and_style_guide/mla_works_cited_electronic_sources.html

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Q. How do I cite the Bible in MLA format?

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Answered By: Lindsey Sinnott Last Updated: Jan 07, 2019     Views: 296282

With MLA style, you need to cite the Bible two ways: in the text of your paper, and on your Works Cited page.

The  first time you include a quote from the Bible, you need to include the translation, chapter (abbreviated), book, and verse, like this:

Paul urges Christians to "not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect" ( English Standard Version , Rom. 12.2).

If you include quotations from the same translation later in your paper, you only need to include the book, chapter, and verse:

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" (Phil. 4.6-7).

Works Cited

On your works cited page, your citation should include the translation you used; the editor's name, if given; and the publication information. Examples are given below (note that The  Message  is slightly different because it has an author, not an editor).

Printed Bibles

The English Standard Version Bible . New York: Oxford University Press, 2009. Print.

The New Oxford Annotated Bible . Ed. Michael D. Coogan. New York: Oxford University Press, 2007. Print.

Peterson, Eugene H.  The Message: The Bible in Contemporary Language . Colorado Springs: NavPress, 2002. Print.

Bible Gateway

English Standard Version . Bible Gateway. Web. 25 Oct. 2012.

Peterson, Eugene H. The Message . Bible Gateway. Web. 25 Oct. 2012.

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  • This a good way of learning !!! Awsome by jordan on Jan 13, 2013
  • Thank you so MUCH!! it was a great help.. by Lily on Nov 30, 2015
  • this was very helpful, quick and straight to the point. Thank you. by monica on Oct 04, 2016
  • this was extremely helpful for my research paper, thank you. by Mari F on Nov 13, 2016
  • I thank you for your help, of great value, I did not make the error of quotation again. . by Henrique on Jun 26, 2017
  • This was so helpful! Thank you for having examples it made it easier to understand. by Jill on Jan 25, 2018
  • The most useful article on how to cite from the Bible after reading 10-15 articles. Quick and easy-to-understand concepts because of the great examples given. Thank you! R.S. Chao (Technical & Medical Writer & Author) by R.S. Chao on Nov 29, 2020

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How to Cite the Bible in MLA Style

Citing the Bible poses special challenges. The Modern Language Association (MLA) requires the name of the book of the Bible and chapter and verse numbers; you should also know the version’s name. You may need additional information, including publication data and translators’ names, but the Bible is never cited with an author.

Citing the Bible in the Text

When you reference the Bible in the text, you must cite the translation, book title, chapter and verse, explains Michelle Spomer, associate professor with Azusa Pacific University libraries. Italicize the translation name, and abbreviate the book name. For instance, an essay quotes from the book of Matthew: “While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples.” This quote is from the New International Version, so the parenthetical citation would look like this: (New International Version, Mat. 9:10) . The second time you refer to this passage, only cite the book, chapter and verse: (Mat. 9:10) .

Printed Bible in the Works Cited

Title your list of references “Works Cited”; it begins on the a new page after the end of the essay, according to Purdue University’s Online Writing Lab. Each entry uses a hanging indent, with second and subsequent lines indented a half-inch; most word processors will include this setting. Put your references in alphabetical order, and italicize the full title of the translation you are using. If that version gives an editor’s name, include that information next, followed by the place of publication and publisher’s name, and the date of publication and format. A full entry would look like this: New International Version Quickview Bible. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2012. Print.

Online Bible in the Works Cited

Citing an online edition of the Bible is very similar to citing a hard copy. In addition to naming the translation, include the name of the website and the date you accessed it. If your quote was from the Bible published online by Bible Gateway, your citation would look like this: New International Version. Bible Gateway. Web. January 29, 2015. Under normal circumstances, MLA style does not call for including the URL, or Web address, in the citation. As the Purdue Online Writing Lab explains, however, if your instructor or editor prefers it, you may include the URL at the end of the listing inside angle brackets, like this: https://www.biblegateway.com

The Bible in Footnotes or Endnotes

The MLA discourages endnotes and footnotes, according to the Purdue Online Writing Lab. Depending on the type of research you’re doing, however, you may need brief notes that further explain a point, provide context or give additional sources. MLA-style endnotes go on a separate page, headed “Notes,” after the essay text but before the Works Cited; number them consecutively. Footnotes are also numbered consecutively, but they go at the bottom of the page where the numbered citation first appears; if you use footnotes, ask your editor or instructor for specific formatting requirements since the MLA no longer provides detailed guidelines. Treat citations within a note just as you would in-text citations.

Need help with a citation? Try our citation generator .

  • Azusa Pacific University Libraries: Library Answers, How Do I Cite the Bible in MLA Format?; Michelle Spomer
  • Purdue University Online Writing Lab: MLA Style, MLA Works Cited Page, Books
  • Purdue University Online Writing Lab: MLA Style, MLA Works Cited Page, Electronic Sources (Web Publications)
  • Purdue University Online Writing Lab: MLA Style, MLA Endnotes and Footnotes

Jennifer Spirko has been writing professionally for more than 20 years, starting at "The Knoxville Journal." She has written for "MetroPulse," "Maryville-Alcoa Daily Times" and "Some" monthly. She has taught writing at North Carolina State University and the University of Tennessee. Spirko holds a Master of Arts from the Shakespeare Institute, Stratford-on-Avon, England.

Using the Bible in Academic Writing

  • Post author By Collin Kavanaugh
  • Post date March 26, 2021
  • 1 Comment on Using the Bible in Academic Writing

This post was co-authored by Collin Kavanaugh, Abby Long, and Monica Colón.

A common misconception about writing in a Christian academic setting (such as Wheaton) is that you’re expected to reference the Bible in all of your writing assignments. While it’s effective to incorporate in some genres of writing, scripture isn’t appropriate evidence for every scholarly writing occasion.

This post will help you identify when to use biblical references and how to do so persuasively for your genre and audience.

Identify Your Rhetorical Purpose

Before you decide whether or not scripture is an appropriate source for your assignment, determine your rhetorical purpose for writing. Is it to reflect on your personal experiences? Make an ethical claim? Advance an historical interpretation? Explicate scripture? Further a scientific hypothesis? Conduct a literary analysis? Evaluate a social policy?

Referencing scripture may or may not be an effective persuasive strategy for your purpose. Next, consider your intended audience.

Identify Your Audience

When writing for a general academic audience, you can’t assume that your readers will share your religious beliefs. Therefore, the Bible may not be considered an undeniable source of information. Appeals to the Bible’s moral, ethical, or historical authority may be unconvincing to many in a general academic audience. 

While scripture may not serve as persuasive evidence for a general audience, biblical allusions can be appropriate in some cases. However, when writing to a wider audience, consider whether the biblical reference is well-known or more obscure. If the allusion is unfamiliar to most readers, contextualize it with a brief explanation to make sure your audience knows what you are referencing and why you are making that particular reference.

If you are writing for a more narrow audience with a shared belief in scriptural authority, such as a Wheaton College professor or your classmates, it may be appropriate to reference the Bible, depending on the genre of your piece. 

Identify Your Genre Norms

A photo of an open Bible next to a notebook

Genres within different academic disciplines, such as the sciences, humanities, and biblical studies, all call for different ways of interacting with scripture. Having a firm sense of your genre  will guide your use of the Bible in a particular paper. Outside of exegetical and applied biblical studies, the Bible is generally not seen as a persuasive source of authority for academic arguments. 

Academic research papers. When writing a scholarly research paper, avoid using the Bible as evidence for an empirical argument. One notable exception is when your argument centers on analysis of the practices, behaviors, or policies of the church or a group of Christians. The key here is to illustrate how a particular theological interpretation of a specific passage, theme, or doctrine has functioned historically to shape the pattern you are analyzing. In this case, you can reference a biblical passage followed by your analysis of the way it has been interpreted and enacted by the group in question.

Scientific writing. As the Rev. Canon Emily McGowin, Ph.D. notes, “In the hard and soft sciences, it’s not appropriate to use the Bible to support one’s theses because the audience, not to mention the broader field of inquiry, doesn’t generally recognize scripture as an authoritative source.”   

Literary analysis. When you notice a biblical allusion in a literary text, you can use it as evidence to support your interpretation of the work. You can also use close reading methods on the Bible as literature itself—though if you’re not familiar with Greek and Hebrew, it’s wise to stay at the narrative level and avoid making claims about the diction and syntax. However, you can examine the linguistic effect of different translation choices in the languages you speak.

Biblical exegesis. When writing an exegetical paper, it is, of course, appropriate to reference the Bible extensively. Carefully select a passage and, if appropriate, conduct an analysis of the word choice, grammar, and syntax in the original language. Be sure to consider the literary and historical contexts of the selected passage. Finally, explore applications of the text. To get started, visit this library subject guide or check out Elements of Biblical Exegesis by Michael Gorman.

Reflective writing. In many general education classes at Wheaton, your professor may assign a personal theological reflection, either as a stand-alone piece or as a section of another assignment. In these cases, you can bring in biblical anecdotes, verses, or concepts that you find meaningful and explain their personal significance. Still, you’ll want to avoid making overly complex or prescriptive claims if you haven’t done much interpretive work on the passage in question.

Guidelines for Using the Bible in Your Writing

If using the Bible is appropriate for your rhetorical purpose, audience, and genre, consider these tips. 

Avoid “prooftexting.” Prooftexting is when you take a verse or phrase from the Bible completely out of context to support your point, and it is generally considered a misuse of scripture. While it can be tempting to simply drop in a Bible verse, it is important to carefully consider the context, meaning, and purpose of the verse so you do not undermine your integrity through misapplications of scripture. 

Justify your use of scripture. When writing for a general academic audience, the Rev. Dr. McGowin points out that “you’re going to need to explain and make a case for why the Bible is relevant to the subject in question. Also, you’re going to have to give more contextual information for the scriptural reference.”

Dive into commentaries. If your argument rests on an interpretation of scripture, it is essential that you explore the ways the passage has been interpreted in a variety of historical and cultural contexts. Look to biblical commentaries to learn more about the history of the passage in question.

Cite the Bible correctly. Most citation guides have specific rules for citing sacred texts such as the Bible. Look up the manual for your particular citation style for specific guidance about abbreviations, in-text citations, reference page entries, and/or footnotes. (Note: The Writing Center is working on an online resource for this, and we will link it here when it’s live.) If you are unsure about your recommended citation style, check with your professor or academic department. Finally, feel free to make an appointment at the Writing Center to get assistance!

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how do you cite the bible in an essay

  • Research and Course Guides
  • Citing Theological Sources: How to do a Bibliography
  • Bible & Bible Reference Sources

Citing Theological Sources: How to do a Bibliography: Bible & Bible Reference Sources

  • General Citations: Books, Articles, Websites, etc.
  • Church Documents
  • Aquinas' SUMMA
  • Annotated Bibliographies
  • Writing Theology Well

How to Cite the Bible

Gen 12:27 ( NJPS ) or Gen 12:27 ( NJB ); Rom 5:12-21 ( NRSV ) or Rom 5:12-21 ( KJV ).

Or, in an in-text citation:  (Rom 5:12-21 NRSV ) or (Gen 12:27 NJPS )  

Use the abbreviation for the English version you are using.  NJPS for New Jewish Publication Society , NAB for New American Bible , NJB for the New Jerusalem Bible , etc. 

If you will use the same version throughout, you can include a footnote or endnote to that effect the first time you use a biblical citation.

If you are quoting biblical verses that are the same in many versions of the Bible, you do not need to cite the Jewish Study Bible or the New Oxford Annotated or the HarperCollins Study Bible in the in-text citation.

If a biblical book is the first word in a sentence, do not abbreviate it.  Example:  "We see this in Rom 5:12 ( NRSV )..."   But when it comes first in the sentence:  "Romans 5:12 shows us this...."

The Bible - Using MLA

It is advisable simply to cite by chapter/verses with Scripture abbreviation, chapter/verse placed parenthetically in your text. Do not use an endnote. In the bibliography, list the version/translation of the Bible as given on the title page, making sure the version/translation is indicated even if not actually given on the title page proper. You can add it on your own. When citing more than one Bible version in your paper, consult your instructor.  

Follow Bible book title abbreviations as in MLA or as recommended by your instructor 

Within the text of your paper:

(Gen 22:10) (1 Cor 13:5)  

In your paper's bibliography (you must indicate the version): 

The Holy Bible: New Revised Standard Version. New York: Oxford University, 1996.  

  How to Cite the Bible: MLA

General Guidelines:  Books and versions of the Bible are not underlined, italicized, or put in quotation marks.  But the titles of individual published editions of the Bible are underlined or italicized.

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

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

  Parenthetical References

       • Books of the Bible are abbreviated; see the MLA Handbook for common abbreviations. Example: (Phil. 3.8) • A period, not a colon, 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.

  *** Information taken from MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers , 7 th ed., 2009, sections 6.4.8, 7.7.1, and 5.6.2.

Common Abbreviations for Bible Reference Sources

Jewish Publication Society Torah Commentary - JPS Torah Commentary

Interpreter's Dictionary of the Bible - IDB

New Jerome Biblical Commentary - NJBC

Anchor Bible Dictionary - ABD

Harper's Bible Commentary (1988) - HBC

HarperCollins Bible Dictionary - HBD

New Interpreter's Bible - NIB

Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible - EDB

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - ISBE

Abbreviations for Selected Apocryphal Works

Selected Apocryphal Works 

  1 Information taken from MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, 7th ed., 2009, section 7.7.1.

MLA - Citing Bible Reference Sources

How to cite encyclopedia or dictionary entries:  

To find entry authors, look at the end of the entry -- often "signed" by contributor. Cite unsigned articles by title only.

Bibliography (entry author, set editor, multi-volume):    

Klauck, Hans-Josef. "Lord's Supper." The Anchor Bible Dictionary . Ed. David Noel Freedman. Vol. 2. New York: Doubleday, 1992.  

Endnote or footnote:  

8. Hans-Josef Klauck, "Lord's Supper," The Anchor Bible Dictionary , ed. David Noel Freedman, vol. 2 (New York: Doubleday, 1992) 485.  

In-text citation:  (Klauck 485)  

Note  that quotations around entry title. From the book itself be sure to record publishing data and editor(s) from title page of the whole work. Also note that normal word order style is used for editor's name.

How to cite a Concordance:  

               (Author of Article)                Last Name, First Name. “Title of Entry.” Title of Concordance . Ed. Name of Editor, if applicable. Edition, if applicable. City of Pub.: Publisher, Year.    Medium of Publication.

               Example:

               Goodrick, Edward W., and John R. Kohlberger III.  “Mount.” The New Concordance of the Bible. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice-Hall, 1990. Print.

*** For further information, see 5.5.7 (p. 160-61)

How to cite a Bible Commentary in a larger work:  

See Books above for series volume by individual author. In a large work like a commentary with many essays on specific books or chapters, it is often the case that individual commentaries are written by different scholars and the overall work itself has a 'general' editor.  In these cases, this general editor is NOT the author. In MLA style the editor need not be listed but, for clarity, many students add the general editor after the book title.

Bibliography:  

Option 1: Weems, Renita J. "Song of Songs." The New Interpreter's Bible . Vol. 5. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1997.

Option 2: Weems, Renita J. "Song of Songs." The New Interpreter's Bible . Ed. Leander E. Keck. Vol. 5. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1997.

(See the most current MLA Handbook for detailed full citation discussion, a list of all elements (in order), and punctuation rules, and for endnotes or footnotes, or the in-text citation option.)

How to cite an essay in a collection:    

Many items in books featuring articles that are indexed by the ATLA Religion Database are essays that are contributions to published works -- in a 'collection.'  Cite these essays as a "part" of a collected work.  Use quotation marks around the essay title.  Be sure to include all full data for the collection in which the essay appears.

Bibliography (authors, editor, multi-volume). Note abbreviations for editors, editions, and volume numbers.  

Ewbank, Michael B, and H. Aityni. "The Difference Diversity Makes." Saints, Sovereigns, and Scholars . Ed. Robert A. Herrera. Vol. 2. New York: Peter Lang, 1993.  

11. Michael B. Ewbank and H. Aityni, "The Difference Diversity Makes," Saints, Sovereigns, and Scholars , ed. Robert A. Herrera, vol. 2. (New York: Peter Lang, 1993) 13-14.. 

In-text citation (Ewbank 16-17)   

How to cite a chapter in an edited book in a multi-volume work:   (Such as the New Interpreter’s Bible .) 

Last Name, First Name. “Title of Chapter.” Title of Commentary . Edition, if applicable. City of Pub.: Publisher, Year. Inclusive Page #s of chapter. Medium of Publication. Vol. # of Title of Work , Ed. Editor of Work.  # of vols. Inclusive publication dates.  

Example:   

Longenecker, Richard N.  “Acts.” John and Acts . Minneapolis: Liturgical Press, 1981. 205-573.  Print.  Vol. 9 of The Expositor’s Bible Commentary . Ed. Frank E. Gæbelein. 12  vols. 1976-92.  

*** For further information, see 5.5.6 (pp. 157-60) & 5.5.14 (pp. 168-70) of the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, 7th ed. 

How to cite a book in a Series: (Such as the Anchor Yale Bible Series)).

Last Name, First Name. Title of Commentary . Ed. Name of Series Editor.  City of Pub.: Publisher, Year. Medium of Publication. Name of Series. Number in series, if available.

Example:  

Fox, Michael V. Proverbs : a New Translation with Introduction and Commentary. New York: Doubleday, 2000. Print. The Anchor Yal Bible Ser. 18A-B.  

             *** For further information, see 5.5.15 (pp. 170) of the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, 7th ed.

The Bible - Society of Biblical Literature Handbook of Style

The Society of Biblical Literature has posted an online style guide for students on the web.  This guide will explain most of the specifics you need.  It is a pdf at  

https://www.sbl-site.org/assets/pdfs/pubs/SBLHSsupp2015-02.pdf You'll need to scroll down past the preface and title page.

Or you can find an unabridged print copy in the Ireland Library Reference Room at:

Emory University's SBL Citation Builder

  • Emory University's SBL Citation Builder SBL style is designed for students and scholars writing in the disciplines of ancient Near Eastern studies, Biblical studies, and studies of early Christianity.
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How to Cite Religious Texts in an Essay

How to Cite Religious Texts in an Essay

3-minute read

  • 26th October 2017

Many people blaspheme while working on references . And who would blame them? Referencing is tricky stuff. Ironically, religious texts are among the most likely to reduce writers to heresy, since they rarely stick to standard referencing rules.

how do you cite the bible in an essay

For the sake of your soul and your essay marks , then, here’s our guide to citing religious works with Harvard, APA and MLA referencing. We will use the Bible for our examples below, but the same conventions apply for other religious texts (e.g. the Quran, the Vedas or the Bhagavad Gita).

Harvard Referencing

The rules with Harvard referencing will depend on the version of this system you’re using . But a common approach is to identify the religious text in your writing, then give a pinpoint citation in brackets:

According to the Bible, wine is for those ‘in anguish’ (Proverbs 31:6).

In the reference list, all you’d need to do is identify the version of the text cited:

The Bible: New International Version.

This should be listed alphabetically using the text name (e.g. ‘Bible’) in place of an author name. However, make sure to include any additional details where relevant (e.g. if a version of a holy text lists a translator, you would usually include this after the title, plus any additional publication details for the specific version used).

APA Referencing

In APA referencing , you cite holy texts by giving the title of the version used and the date of publication (plus the date of original publication where relevant):

The Bible ( King James Bible , 1769/2017) contains many unusual stories.

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If you are citing a particular passage, give a citation using the standard divisions for the text (e.g. book, chapter, and verse numbers for the Bible, not page numbers):

It is not clear why the children mock Elisha for being bald, but their punishment seems excessive ( King James Bible , 1769/2017, 2 Kings 2:23–24).

Here, for example, the author is citing verses 23 and 24 in chapter two of the second Book of Kings. In the reference list, meanwhile, the format to use depends on how you accessed the text. For example, you would list a print version as a book ; but for an online version, you would list it as a website ).

MLA Referencing

MLA requires writers to specify the version of a religious text in the first citation, along with the specific passage being cited:

Jesus is referred to as a ‘winebibber’ ( King James Bible , Matthew 11.19).

For additional citations of the same text, you can then simply give the passage being referenced in brackets (e.g. the book, chapter, and verse number). However, you may also want to shorten books of the Bible in citations using the MLA-approved abbreviations .

In the ‘Works Cited’ list , you should then list the source using the appropriate format (e.g. print for book, website for online) with full publication details. Minimally, references should include the title of the specific version, publication details, and the year of publication. However, make sure to provide any other details relevant to the version cited (e.g. some religious texts have a named translator).

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To have an expert academic proofreader check your work, including the referencing, simply upload a document for proofreadind today. You can even get your first 500 words checked for free .

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Guide to Chicago/Turabian Style for Seminarians

  • Elements of a Paper in Chicago Style
  • When and Why to Cite Your Sources
  • Citing Sources: The Three Requirements
  • How to Use "Ibid."
  • Creating Footnotes in MS Word or Google Docs
  • Examples of Citations in Chicago Style
  • Citing the Bible, and Citing the Notes in a Study Bible
  • Citing a Source Within a Source
  • Seminary Research Ring

How to Cite the Bible in a Chicago-Style Paper

Confusingly, the Bible (as well as epic poems like Paradise Lost , and ancient sources like Josephus or the Church Fathers) is cited differently than most secondary source material in Chicago style. For the Bible, just as you would with any other source, you should offer a full citation in your bibliography and in the first footnote reference to the specific edition of the text to which you are referring. This is because there are many different version of the Bible, and your information pertains specifically to the one you’re using. However, instead of citing a page number in your footnote, you should give an appropriate reference in parentheses at the end of your sentence. Moreover, after you have given a full footnote citation, you no longer need to footnote the text at all; simply provide the necessary information in parentheses within the body of your paper. Examples follow.

Bibliography Attridge, Harold W., et al., eds. The HarperCollins Study Bible: New Revised Standard Version, with the Apocryphal/Deuterocanonical Books . San Francisco: HarperSanFrancisco, 2006.

First footnote

1 Harold W. Attridge et al., eds., The HarperCollins Study Bible: New Revised Standard Version, with the Apocryphal/Deuterocanonical Books (San Francisco: HarperSanFrancisco, 2006).

In the body of your paper

“He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, and threw him into the pit, and locked and sealed it over him, so that he would deceive the nations no more, until the thousand years were ended. After that he must be let out for a little while” (Revelation 20:2-3).

Note that the first time you identify a biblical book in your paper, the book name is spelled out fully. Any subsequent reference to that biblical book should be abbreviated with no period after the abbreviation (ex., Rev 20:4-5).

Citing the Notes in a Study Bible

If you refer in your paper to the commentary-style notes in a study Bible, you should credit the author of the notes. There will typically be a list of contributors in the book's front matter, which will identify who wrote the introduction and notes to each biblical book. Here is an example of a first footnote and subsequent footnote for

1 Mark E. Biddle, Notes on Jeremiah, The New Oxford Annotated Bible (augmented 3rd ed., NRSV, Michael D. Coogan et al., eds., Oxford/New York: Oxford University Press, 2007), 1142.

3 Biddle, Notes on Jeremiah, 1144.

For your bibliography, assuming you are using that version of the Bible for all the biblical references in your paper, you only need to cite the version of the Bible -- you do not need a separate bibliographic entry for the author of the study notes.

  • << Previous: Examples of Citations in Chicago Style
  • Next: Citing a Source Within a Source >>
  • Last Updated: Jan 22, 2024 3:22 PM
  • URL: https://upsem.libguides.com/chicago

Home / Guides / Citation Guides / Book Citations / Learn how to cite “ESV Study Bible”

Learn how to cite “ESV Study Bible”

Learn how to create in-text citations and a full citation/reference/note for The ESV Study Bible using the examples below. The ESV Study Bible  is cited in 14 different citation styles, including MLA, APA, Chicago, Harvard, APA, ACS, and many others.

If you are looking for additional help, try the EasyBib citation generator .

Popular Citation Styles

Here are ESV Study Bible  citations for five popular citation styles: MLA, APA, Chicago (notes-bibliography), Chicago (author-date), and Harvard style.

Additional Styles

Here are ESV Study Bible  citations for 14 popular citation styles including Turabian style, the American Medical Association (AMA) style, the Council of Science Editors (CSE) style, IEEE, and more.

Find citation guides for additional books linked here .

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MLA In-Text Citations: The Basics

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MLA (Modern Language Association) style is most commonly used to write papers and cite sources within the liberal arts and humanities. This resource, updated to reflect the MLA Handbook (9 th ed.), offers examples for the general format of MLA research papers, in-text citations, endnotes/footnotes, and the Works Cited page.

Guidelines for referring to the works of others in your text using MLA style are covered throughout the  MLA Handbook  and in chapter 7 of the  MLA Style Manual . Both books provide extensive examples, so it's a good idea to consult them if you want to become even more familiar with MLA guidelines or if you have a particular reference question.

Basic in-text citation rules

In MLA Style, referring to the works of others in your text is done using parenthetical citations . This method involves providing relevant source information in parentheses whenever a sentence uses a quotation or paraphrase. Usually, the simplest way to do this is to put all of the source information in parentheses at the end of the sentence (i.e., just before the period). However, as the examples below will illustrate, there are situations where it makes sense to put the parenthetical elsewhere in the sentence, or even to leave information out.

General Guidelines

  • The source information required in a parenthetical citation depends (1) upon the source medium (e.g. print, web, DVD) and (2) upon the source’s entry on the Works Cited page.
  • Any source information that you provide in-text must correspond to the source information on the Works Cited page. More specifically, whatever signal word or phrase you provide to your readers in the text must be the first thing that appears on the left-hand margin of the corresponding entry on the Works Cited page.

In-text citations: Author-page style

MLA format follows the author-page method of in-text citation. This means that the author's last name and the page number(s) from which the quotation or paraphrase is taken must appear in the text, and a complete reference should appear on your Works Cited page. The author's name may appear either in the sentence itself or in parentheses following the quotation or paraphrase, but the page number(s) should always appear in the parentheses, not in the text of your sentence. For example:

Both citations in the examples above, (263) and (Wordsworth 263), tell readers that the information in the sentence can be located on page 263 of a work by an author named Wordsworth. If readers want more information about this source, they can turn to the Works Cited page, where, under the name of Wordsworth, they would find the following information:

Wordsworth, William. Lyrical Ballads . Oxford UP, 1967.

In-text citations for print sources with known author

For print sources like books, magazines, scholarly journal articles, and newspapers, provide a signal word or phrase (usually the author’s last name) and a page number. If you provide the signal word/phrase in the sentence, you do not need to include it in the parenthetical citation.

These examples must correspond to an entry that begins with Burke, which will be the first thing that appears on the left-hand margin of an entry on the Works Cited page:

Burke, Kenneth. Language as Symbolic Action: Essays on Life, Literature, and Method . University of California Press, 1966.

In-text citations for print sources by a corporate author

When a source has a corporate author, it is acceptable to use the name of the corporation followed by the page number for the in-text citation. You should also use abbreviations (e.g., nat'l for national) where appropriate, so as to avoid interrupting the flow of reading with overly long parenthetical citations.

In-text citations for sources with non-standard labeling systems

If a source uses a labeling or numbering system other than page numbers, such as a script or poetry, precede the citation with said label. When citing a poem, for instance, the parenthetical would begin with the word “line”, and then the line number or range. For example, the examination of William Blake’s poem “The Tyger” would be cited as such:

The speaker makes an ardent call for the exploration of the connection between the violence of nature and the divinity of creation. “In what distant deeps or skies. / Burnt the fire of thine eyes," they ask in reference to the tiger as they attempt to reconcile their intimidation with their relationship to creationism (lines 5-6).

Longer labels, such as chapters (ch.) and scenes (sc.), should be abbreviated.

In-text citations for print sources with no known author

When a source has no known author, use a shortened title of the work instead of an author name, following these guidelines.

Place the title in quotation marks if it's a short work (such as an article) or italicize it if it's a longer work (e.g. plays, books, television shows, entire Web sites) and provide a page number if it is available.

Titles longer than a standard noun phrase should be shortened into a noun phrase by excluding articles. For example, To the Lighthouse would be shortened to Lighthouse .

If the title cannot be easily shortened into a noun phrase, the title should be cut after the first clause, phrase, or punctuation:

In this example, since the reader does not know the author of the article, an abbreviated title appears in the parenthetical citation, and the full title of the article appears first at the left-hand margin of its respective entry on the Works Cited page. Thus, the writer includes the title in quotation marks as the signal phrase in the parenthetical citation in order to lead the reader directly to the source on the Works Cited page. The Works Cited entry appears as follows:

"The Impact of Global Warming in North America." Global Warming: Early Signs . 1999. www.climatehotmap.org/. Accessed 23 Mar. 2009.

If the title of the work begins with a quotation mark, such as a title that refers to another work, that quote or quoted title can be used as the shortened title. The single quotation marks must be included in the parenthetical, rather than the double quotation.

Parenthetical citations and Works Cited pages, used in conjunction, allow readers to know which sources you consulted in writing your essay, so that they can either verify your interpretation of the sources or use them in their own scholarly work.

Author-page citation for classic and literary works with multiple editions

Page numbers are always required, but additional citation information can help literary scholars, who may have a different edition of a classic work, like Marx and Engels's  The Communist Manifesto . In such cases, give the page number of your edition (making sure the edition is listed in your Works Cited page, of course) followed by a semicolon, and then the appropriate abbreviations for volume (vol.), book (bk.), part (pt.), chapter (ch.), section (sec.), or paragraph (par.). For example:

Author-page citation for works in an anthology, periodical, or collection

When you cite a work that appears inside a larger source (for instance, an article in a periodical or an essay in a collection), cite the author of the  internal source (i.e., the article or essay). For example, to cite Albert Einstein's article "A Brief Outline of the Theory of Relativity," which was published in  Nature  in 1921, you might write something like this:

See also our page on documenting periodicals in the Works Cited .

Citing authors with same last names

Sometimes more information is necessary to identify the source from which a quotation is taken. For instance, if two or more authors have the same last name, provide both authors' first initials (or even the authors' full name if different authors share initials) in your citation. For example:

Citing a work by multiple authors

For a source with two authors, list the authors’ last names in the text or in the parenthetical citation:

Corresponding Works Cited entry:

Best, David, and Sharon Marcus. “Surface Reading: An Introduction.” Representations , vol. 108, no. 1, Fall 2009, pp. 1-21. JSTOR, doi:10.1525/rep.2009.108.1.1

For a source with three or more authors, list only the first author’s last name, and replace the additional names with et al.

Franck, Caroline, et al. “Agricultural Subsidies and the American Obesity Epidemic.” American Journal of Preventative Medicine , vol. 45, no. 3, Sept. 2013, pp. 327-333.

Citing multiple works by the same author

If you cite more than one work by an author, include a shortened title for the particular work from which you are quoting to distinguish it from the others. Put short titles of books in italics and short titles of articles in quotation marks.

Citing two articles by the same author :

Citing two books by the same author :

Additionally, if the author's name is not mentioned in the sentence, format your citation with the author's name followed by a comma, followed by a shortened title of the work, and, when appropriate, the page number(s):

Citing multivolume works

If you cite from different volumes of a multivolume work, always include the volume number followed by a colon. Put a space after the colon, then provide the page number(s). (If you only cite from one volume, provide only the page number in parentheses.)

Citing the Bible

In your first parenthetical citation, you want to make clear which Bible you're using (and underline or italicize the title), as each version varies in its translation, followed by book (do not italicize or underline), chapter, and verse. For example:

If future references employ the same edition of the Bible you’re using, list only the book, chapter, and verse in the parenthetical citation:

John of Patmos echoes this passage when describing his vision (Rev. 4.6-8).

Citing indirect sources

Sometimes you may have to use an indirect source. An indirect source is a source cited within another source. For such indirect quotations, use "qtd. in" to indicate the source you actually consulted. For example:

Note that, in most cases, a responsible researcher will attempt to find the original source, rather than citing an indirect source.

Citing transcripts, plays, or screenplays

Sources that take the form of a dialogue involving two or more participants have special guidelines for their quotation and citation. Each line of dialogue should begin with the speaker's name written in all capitals and indented half an inch. A period follows the name (e.g., JAMES.) . After the period, write the dialogue. Each successive line after the first should receive an additional indentation. When another person begins speaking, start a new line with that person's name indented only half an inch. Repeat this pattern each time the speaker changes. You can include stage directions in the quote if they appear in the original source.

Conclude with a parenthetical that explains where to find the excerpt in the source. Usually, the author and title of the source can be given in a signal phrase before quoting the excerpt, so the concluding parenthetical will often just contain location information like page numbers or act/scene indicators.

Here is an example from O'Neill's  The Iceman Cometh.

WILLIE. (Pleadingly) Give me a drink, Rocky. Harry said it was all right. God, I need a drink.

ROCKY. Den grab it. It's right under your nose.

WILLIE. (Avidly) Thanks. (He takes the bottle with both twitching hands and tilts it to his lips and gulps down the whiskey in big swallows.) (1.1)

Citing non-print or sources from the Internet

With more and more scholarly work published on the Internet, you may have to cite sources you found in digital environments. While many sources on the Internet should not be used for scholarly work (reference the OWL's  Evaluating Sources of Information  resource), some Web sources are perfectly acceptable for research. When creating in-text citations for electronic, film, or Internet sources, remember that your citation must reference the source on your Works Cited page.

Sometimes writers are confused with how to craft parenthetical citations for electronic sources because of the absence of page numbers. However, these sorts of entries often do not require a page number in the parenthetical citation. For electronic and Internet sources, follow the following guidelines:

  • Include in the text the first item that appears in the Work Cited entry that corresponds to the citation (e.g. author name, article name, website name, film name).
  • Do not provide paragraph numbers or page numbers based on your Web browser’s print preview function.
  • Unless you must list the Web site name in the signal phrase in order to get the reader to the appropriate entry, do not include URLs in-text. Only provide partial URLs such as when the name of the site includes, for example, a domain name, like  CNN.com  or  Forbes.com,  as opposed to writing out http://www.cnn.com or http://www.forbes.com.

Miscellaneous non-print sources

Two types of non-print sources you may encounter are films and lectures/presentations:

In the two examples above “Herzog” (a film’s director) and “Yates” (a presentor) lead the reader to the first item in each citation’s respective entry on the Works Cited page:

Herzog, Werner, dir. Fitzcarraldo . Perf. Klaus Kinski. Filmverlag der Autoren, 1982.

Yates, Jane. "Invention in Rhetoric and Composition." Gaps Addressed: Future Work in Rhetoric and Composition, CCCC, Palmer House Hilton, 2002. Address.

Electronic sources

Electronic sources may include web pages and online news or magazine articles:

In the first example (an online magazine article), the writer has chosen not to include the author name in-text; however, two entries from the same author appear in the Works Cited. Thus, the writer includes both the author’s last name and the article title in the parenthetical citation in order to lead the reader to the appropriate entry on the Works Cited page (see below).

In the second example (a web page), a parenthetical citation is not necessary because the page does not list an author, and the title of the article, “MLA Formatting and Style Guide,” is used as a signal phrase within the sentence. If the title of the article was not named in the sentence, an abbreviated version would appear in a parenthetical citation at the end of the sentence. Both corresponding Works Cited entries are as follows:

Taylor, Rumsey. "Fitzcarraldo." Slant , 13 Jun. 2003, www.slantmagazine.com/film/review/fitzcarraldo/. Accessed 29 Sep. 2009. 

"MLA Formatting and Style Guide." The Purdue OWL , 2 Aug. 2016, owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/01/. Accessed 2 April 2018.

Multiple citations

To cite multiple sources in the same parenthetical reference, separate the citations by a semi-colon:

Time-based media sources

When creating in-text citations for media that has a runtime, such as a movie or podcast, include the range of hours, minutes and seconds you plan to reference. For example: (00:02:15-00:02:35).

When a citation is not needed

Common sense and ethics should determine your need for documenting sources. You do not need to give sources for familiar proverbs, well-known quotations, or common knowledge (For example, it is expected that U.S. citizens know that George Washington was the first President.). Remember that citing sources is a rhetorical task, and, as such, can vary based on your audience. If you’re writing for an expert audience of a scholarly journal, for example, you may need to deal with expectations of what constitutes “common knowledge” that differ from common norms.

Other Sources

The MLA Handbook describes how to cite many different kinds of authors and content creators. However, you may occasionally encounter a source or author category that the handbook does not describe, making the best way to proceed can be unclear.

In these cases, it's typically acceptable to apply the general principles of MLA citation to the new kind of source in a way that's consistent and sensible. A good way to do this is to simply use the standard MLA directions for a type of source that resembles the source you want to cite.

You may also want to investigate whether a third-party organization has provided directions for how to cite this kind of source. For example, Norquest College provides guidelines for citing Indigenous Elders and Knowledge Keepers⁠ —an author category that does not appear in the MLA Handbook . In cases like this, however, it's a good idea to ask your instructor or supervisor whether using third-party citation guidelines might present problems.

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What does it mean to claim the US is a Christian nation, and what does the Constitution say?

FILE - A statue of Benjamin Franklin is seen at The Franklin Institute, Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2015, in Philadelphia. Franklin, like some other key founders, admired Jesus as a moral teacher but would not pass a test of Christian orthodoxy. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File)

FILE - A statue of Benjamin Franklin is seen at The Franklin Institute, Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2015, in Philadelphia. Franklin, like some other key founders, admired Jesus as a moral teacher but would not pass a test of Christian orthodoxy. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File)

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Many Americans believe the United States was founded as a Christian nation, and the idea is energizing some conservative and Republican activists. But the concept means different things to different people, and historians say that while the issue is complex, the founding documents prioritize religious freedom and do not create a Christian nation.

Does the U.S. Constitution establish Christianity as an official religion?

What does the constitution say about religion.

“(N)o religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States.” (Article VI)

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” (First Amendment)

FILE- President Joe Biden, with from left, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., and House Speaker Mike Johnson of La., pray and listen during the National Prayer Breakfast, Thursday, Feb. 1, 2024, at the Capitol in Washington. Johnson has spoken in the past of his belief America was founded as a Christian nation. Biden, while citing his own Catholic faith, has spoken of values shared by people of “any other faith, or no faith at all.” (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)

If it says “Congress,” does the First Amendment apply to the states?

It does now. Early in the republic, some states officially sponsored particular churches, such as the Congregational Church in Connecticut and Massachusetts. Within a few decades, all had removed such support. The post-Civil War 14th Amendment guaranteed all U.S. citizens “equal protection of the laws” and said states couldn’t impede on their “privileges or immunities” without due process. In the 20th century, the Supreme Court applied that to a number of First Amendment cases involving religion, saying states couldn’t forbid public proselytizing, reimburse funding for religious education or sponsor prayer in public schools.

What does it mean to say America is a Christian nation?

It depends on whom you ask. Some believe God worked to bring European Christians to America in the 1600s and secure their independence in the 1700s. Some take the Puritan settlers at their word that they were forming a covenant with God, similar to the Bible’s description of ancient Israel, and see America as still subject to divine blessings or punishments depending on how faithful it is. Still others contend that some or all the American founders were Christian, or that the founding documents were based on Christianity.

That’s a lot to unpack. Let’s start at the top. What about the colonies?

Several had Christian language in their founding documents, such as Massachusetts, with established churches lasting decades after independence. Others, such as Rhode Island, offered broader religious freedom. It’s also arguable whether the colonies’ actions lived up to their words, given their histories of religious intolerance and their beginnings of centuries-long African slavery and wars on Native Americans.

What about the founders?

The leaders of the American Revolution and the new republic held a mix of beliefs — some Christian, some Unitarian, some deistic or otherwise theistic. Some key founders, like Benjamin Franklin, admired Jesus as a moral teacher but would fail a test of Christian orthodoxy. Many believed strongly in religious freedom, even as they also believed that religion was essential to maintain a virtuous citizenry.

Were the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution based on Christianity and the Ten Commandments?

References to the Creator and Nature’s God in the Declaration reflect a general theism that could be acceptable to Christians, Unitarians, deists and others. Both documents reflect Enlightenment ideas of natural rights and accountable government. Some also see these documents as influenced, or at least compatible, with Protestant emphasis on such ideas as human sin, requiring checks and balances. In fact, believers in a Christian America were some of the strongest opponents of ratifying the Constitution because of its omission of God references.

Were most early Americans Christian?

Many were and many weren’t. Early church membership was actually quite low, but revivals known as the First and Second Great Awakenings, before and after the Revolution, won a lot of converts. Many scholars see religious freedom as enabling multiple churches to grow and thrive.

Were Catholics considered Christian?

Not by many early Americans. Some state constitutions barred them from office.

How did that change?

Gradually, but by the time of the Cold War, many saw Catholics, Protestants and Jews as God-believing American patriots, allied in the face-off with the atheistic, communist Soviet Union.

Was it only conservatives citing the idea of a Christian nation?

No. Many proponents of the early 20th century social gospel saw their efforts to help the needy as part of building a Christian society. During World War II, President Franklin D. Roosevelt prayed on national radio for God’s blessing “in our united crusade ... over the unholy forces of our enemy.”

The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. wrote that civil rights protesters stood for “the most sacred values in our Judeo-Christian heritage.”

What do progressive Christians say today?

“Christian nationalism has traditionally employed images that advocate an idealized view of the nation’s identity and mission, while deliberately ignoring those persons who have been excluded, exploited, and persecuted,” said a 2021 statement from the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA, an umbrella group that includes multiple progressive denominations.

What do Americans believe about this?

Six in 10 U.S. adults said the founders originally intended America to be a Christian nation, according to a 2022 Pew Research Center survey. Forty-five percent said the U.S. should be a Christian nation, but only a third thought it was one currently.

Among white evangelical Protestants, 81% said the founders intended a Christian nation, and the same number said that the U.S. should be one — but only 23% thought it currently was one, according to Pew.

In a 2021 Pew report, 15% of U.S. adults surveyed said the federal government should declare the U.S. a Christian nation, while 18% said the U.S. Constitution was inspired by God.

One-third of U.S. adults surveyed in 2023 said God intended America to be a promised land for European Christians to set an example to the world, according to a Public Religion Research Institute/Brookings survey. Those who embraced this view were also more likely to dismiss the impact of anti-Black discrimination and more likely to say true patriots may need to act violently to save the country, the survey said.

Sources: Pew Research Center; Public Religion Research Institute/Brookings; “Was America Founded as a Christian Nation?” by John Fea.

Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

how do you cite the bible in an essay

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Bob Moore, Who Founded Bob’s Red Mill, Is Dead at 94

A former gas station owner, he was learning to read the Bible in its original languages when he changed course and started what became an artisanal-grains powerhouse.

Bob Moore, a man with white hair and a full white beard wearing a red jacket, a gray cap and glasses, stands on the upper level of a large retail store.

By Alex Williams

Bob Moore, the grandfatherly entrepreneur who, with his wife, Charlee, leveraged an image of organic heartiness and wholesome Americana to turn the artisanal grain company Bob’s Red Mill into a $100 million-a-year business, died on Saturday at his home in Milwaukie, Ore. He was 94.

His death was announced by the company, which did not cite a cause.

Founded in Milwaukie in 1978, Bob’s Red Mill grew from serving the Portland area to become a global natural-foods behemoth, marketing more than 200 products in more than 70 countries. The company’s product line runs a whole-grain gamut, including stone-ground sorghum flour, paleo-style muesli and whole wheat-pearl couscous, along with energy bars and cake and soup mixes.

Over the years, the company profited handsomely from the nutrition-minded shift away from processed foods and grains.

“I think that people who eat white flour, white rice, de-germinated corn — in other words, grains that have had part of their nutrients taken away — are coming up short ,” Mr. Moore said in 2017 in an interview for an Oregon State University oral history. “I think our diets, nationally, and international probably, show the fact that we just have allowed ourselves to be sold a bill of goods.”

Despite the company’s explosive growth, Mr. Moore fended off numerous offers by food giants to buy Bob’s Red Mill. He opted instead for an employee stock ownership plan, instituted in 2010, on his 81st birthday; by April 2020, the plan had put 100 percent of the company in the hands of its more than 700 employees.

“The Bible says to do unto others as you would have them do unto you,” Mr. Moore, an observant Christian, said in discussing the plan in a recent interview with Portland Monthly magazine.

While Bob’s Red Mill is an ensemble effort in that sense, its marketing appeal is rooted in the cult of personality surrounding its hirsute founder.

Mr. Moore, known for his trademark red vest and white beard, frequently drew comparisons to Santa Claus. (He was also known for his bolo ties and newsie caps.) His gently smiling face adorns the package of every one of his company’s products, along with the tagline “To Your Good Health.”

“Everywhere I go, people recognize me,” Mr. Moore said in the 2017 interview, “and I always have somebody to talk to.”

With its folksy earth-tone packaging and its heavy emphasis on natural ingredients, Bob’s Red Mill managed to conjure an anti-corporate, back-to-the-land ethos reminiscent of the Whole Earth Catalog era of the 1970s, with clear appeal to ex-hippies and coastal wellness devotees.

At the same time, the amiable, white-haired Bob and Charlee Moore, sometimes seen pictured smiling in one of their two 1931 Ford Model A roadsters , projected a small-town wholesomeness that suggested a lost world of barbershop quartets and sarsaparilla floats that seemed perfectly tailored for the heartland.

The wholesomeness, it seems, was anything but an act. And it proved a building block to a nine-figure powerhouse.

Robert Gene Moore was born on Feb. 15, 1929, in Portland, the elder of two children of Ken and Doris Moore. He grew up in San Bernardino, Calif., outside Los Angeles, where his father, too, had a grain-adjacent job of sorts: He drove a Wonder Bread truck.

Bob was too young to enlist when World War II started, so he took a job in a warehouse for the May Company department store in Los Angeles. He was given an early taste of management at 16 when his boss promoted him to run his own department at the store.

“I walked out of his office — I didn’t walk out, I flew out,” he said on the NPR podcast “How I Built This With Guy Raz.” “I was just in seventh heaven.”

After a three-year stint in the Army, during which he helped build bridges and roads in the Marshall Islands, he returned to Southern California and met Charlee Lu Coote. The Moores married in 1953 and started a family that would include three boys.

Mr. Moore was still trying to settle on a career path when, driving down Crenshaw Boulevard in Los Angeles one day, he saw a “Coming Soon” sign for a new Mobil gas station. Sensing a lucrative business, he reached out to see if he could buy it. The young couple quickly sold their house to help them scrape together the necessary $6,000.

“The excitement of having my own business,” he said on the podcast, “it’s still with me.”

Within a couple of years, however, the couple tired of the Los Angeles smog and bustle. They sold the station and moved to the ski resort town of Mammoth Lakes, in the southern Sierra Nevada, where they bought another gas station. It failed within a year.

Nearly destitute, the Moores moved to Sacramento, where Mr. Moore took a job in the hardware department of a Sears department store.

By his mid-40s, he was managing a J.C. Penney auto shop in Redding, Calif., when he wandered into a library and ran across a book called “John Goffe’s Mill,” by George Woodbury, which chronicled the author’s restoration of a run-down family flour mill in New Hampshire.

“It’s a charming story ,” Mr. Moore said in the Oregon State interview. The author, he said, was “educated as an archaeologist, and I have an interest in those kinds of things myself. Biblical archaeology is something that has fascinated me for most of my life.”

“But above all,” he added, “when George made the statement, after he got his mill going, that people beat a path to his door over his whole-wheat flour and cornmeal, I read that and I thought, ‘My goodness, if I could find some millstones and a mill someplace, I bet I could do the same thing.’”

He did just that. He began tracking down old millstones from the 19th century and other necessary equipment, and he converted a Quonset hut on the outskirts of town into a mill for grinding various strains of wheat and other grains. In 1974, he and his wife turned his new obsession into a family mill, which also employed their teenage sons.

Mr. Moore is survived by a sister, Jeannie, and his sons, Ken, Bob, Jr. and David, as well as nine grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. His wife died in 2018.

Business was good, but Mr. Moore eventually began feeling the tug of a lifelong dream: to learn to read the Bible in its original languages, including Hebrew and Koine Greek. He retired when he was about 50, and he and his wife moved to Portland to pursue this course of study at a seminary.

Mr. Moore, however, soon grew weary of the painstaking work involved in learning ancient languages. “One day we were walking along, reading vocabulary cards back and forth, we had Greek verbs on one side and nouns on the other,” he recounted on the podcast. “Much to my surprise, there was a mill. It had been there a long time. And in front of it was a ‘For Sale’ sign. I couldn’t believe it.”

“I looked in the window and I could see bucket elevators, grain cleaners, I could see all the milling equipment,” he continued. “I couldn’t believe what I was looking at.”

When he dialed the number listed, the owner said he was planning to tear down the mill to expose the value of the underlying land.

“I said, ‘What are you going to do? Tear that mill down?’” Mr. Moore recalled. “I thought, ‘This is the most fantastic thing. I can’t believe what is happening.’ So basically, I bought the thing and it changed my entire life.”

Alex Williams is a reporter in the Obituaries department. More about Alex Williams

IMAGES

  1. 3 Ways to Cite the Bible

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  2. 3 Ways to Cite the Bible

    how do you cite the bible in an essay

  3. How to Cite the Bible in MLA Style: 12 Steps (with Pictures)

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  4. Cómo citar la Biblia según el estilo APA

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  5. Writing About Religion and Citing the Bible in APA Style

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  6. How to Cite the Bible in MLA: Key Rules and Samples

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COMMENTS

  1. How to Cite the Bible in MLA

    The first Bible citation in your text should include the Bible's title, abbreviated if necessary (and always omitting " The " from the beginning). In-text citation ( ESV Bible, Gen. 5.2) You can omit this part in subsequent citations.

  2. How to Cite the Bible in MLA

    To create your reference page citation, you will need to following information: title of the Bible name of the editor (s) (if applicable) version of the Bible (which may differ from the title) publication information. For your in-text citation, you will need: the title of the Bible

  3. MLA Works Cited Page: Books

    The basic form for a book citation is: Last Name, First Name. Title of Book. City of Publication, Publisher, Publication Date. * Note: the City of Publication should only be used if the book was published before 1900, if the publisher has offices in more than one country, or if the publisher is unknown in North America. Book with One Author

  4. How to Cite the Bible in APA

    Citation Generator Source Type Search The Bible is a frequently used source of information for many types of papers, but is referencing it the same as citing a book? This page will help you format citations for the Bible based on APA 7th edition guidelines. Guide overview APA reference page entry for a Bible Citing a Bible (print or ebook)

  5. How to Cite the Bible

    By Jennifer Betts Certified Teacher In How To 5 Min read The Bible is a formidable opponent in the writing arena. Citing Bible verses comes will all types of questions. Do you need to know how to quote the Bible? Does it vary with each citation style? The list goes on and on. However, don't sweat it.

  6. APA Style (7th Edition) Citation Guide: Biblical Sources

    Citing the Bible Formatting Note: All citations should be double spaced and have a hanging indent in a Reference List. A "hanging indent" means that each subsequent line after the first line of your citation should be indented by 0.5 inches. This Microsoft support page contains instructions about how to format a hanging indent in a paper.

  7. How to Cite and Reference Bible Texts in the APA 7th Edition Style

    If you are new to reading and citing Bible texts, you may like to read the Quick-Start-Guide on "Introduction to Using and Citing Texts from the Bible" first. If you've been reading the Bible and would like to learn how to cite Bible texts to support your essay arguments in the APA 7 format, this guide is for you. Bible texts may be cited ...

  8. MLA Writing Guide: Citing the Bible

    This research guide provides a brief introduction to MLA. What follows below are some examples of how to cite the Bible in MLA. For more detailed information and examples, please see Liberty University's Writing Center MLA citation examples or MLA's style site.

  9. MLA Style (9th Edition) Citation Guide: Biblical Sources

    Table of Contents Formatting Note: For your Works Cited list, all citations should be double spaced and have a hanging indent. Tips Name of Generic Religious Texts in the Body of Your Paper In-Text Citations Bible Dictionary Print: Author's Last Name, First Name Middle Name if Given. "Title of Entry."

  10. 3 Ways to Cite the Bible

    Method 1 MLA Download Article 1 Start your Works Cited entry with the version you used. Type the title of the specific version of the Bible that you used in italics. Use title case, capitalizing the first word and all nouns, pronouns, adjectives, adverbs, and verbs. Place a period at the end of the title. [2]

  11. 3 Ways to Cite the Bible in MLA Style

    Creating an In-text Citation. 1. Begin the citation with an open parenthesis at the end of the sentence. Most MLA citations go at the very end of the sentence, right before the period. Occasionally, you may need to put the citation before a comma, if the sentence needs 2 citations.

  12. Q. How do I cite the Bible in MLA format?

    With MLA style, you need to cite the Bible two ways: in the text of your paper, and on your Works Cited page. In Text. The first time you include a quote from the Bible, you need to include the translation, chapter (abbreviated), book, and verse, like this:. Paul urges Christians to "not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern ...

  13. How to Cite the Bible in MLA Style

    Printed Bible in the Works Cited. Title your list of references "Works Cited"; it begins on the a new page after the end of the essay, according to Purdue University's Online Writing Lab. Each entry uses a hanging indent, with second and subsequent lines indented a half-inch; most word processors will include this setting.

  14. Using the Bible in Academic Writing

    Justify your use of scripture. When writing for a general academic audience, the Rev. Dr. McGowin points out that "you're going to need to explain and make a case for why the Bible is relevant to the subject in question. Also, you're going to have to give more contextual information for the scriptural reference.". Dive into commentaries.

  15. Bible & Bible Reference Sources

    How to Cite the Bible: MLA General Guidelines: Books and versions of the Bible are not underlined, italicized, or put in quotation marks. But the titles of individual published editions of the Bible are underlined or italicized. Example: The King James Version of the Bible was originally published in 1611.

  16. How to Cite Religious Texts in an Essay

    In the reference list, all you'd need to do is identify the version of the text cited: The Bible: New International Version. This should be listed alphabetically using the text name (e.g. 'Bible') in place of an author name. However, make sure to include any additional details where relevant (e.g. if a version of a holy text lists a ...

  17. Citing the Bible, and Citing the Notes in a Study Bible

    Confusingly, the Bible (as well as epic poems like Paradise Lost, and ancient sources like Josephus or the Church Fathers) is cited differently than most secondary source material in Chicago style.For the Bible, just as you would with any other source, you should offer a full citation in your bibliography and in the first footnote reference to the specific edition of the text to which you are ...

  18. Cite ESV Study Bible

    Here are ESV Study Bible citations for five popular citation styles: MLA, APA, Chicago (notes-bibliography), Chicago (author-date), and Harvard style. The ESV Study Bible: English Standard Version. Crossway Bibles, 2008. The ESV study Bible: English standard version. (2008). Crossway Bibles.

  19. Harvard Bible Citation Generator & Examples

    Published February 5, 2021. Updated August 15, 2021. To cite the Bible in Harvard style, it's helpful to know basic information including the book, chapter, and verse being cited, as well as the version of the bible. The templates and examples below are based on the 11th edition of the book Cite Them Right by Richard Pears and Graham Shields.

  20. MLA In-Text Citations: The Basics

    When you cite a work that appears inside a larger source (for instance, an article in a periodical or an essay in a collection), cite the author of the ... In your first parenthetical citation, you want to make clear which Bible you're using (and underline or italicize the title), as each version varies in its translation, followed by book (do ...

  21. How To Quote Scripture in an Essay or Writing?

    -When using abbreviations, be consistent throughout your paper. -If you are quoting directly from the Bible, be sure to use quotation marks and cite the source. -If you are referencing a specific translation , be sure to include that information in your citation. Here are a few examples of how you might cite a biblical reference in your writing:

  22. An Ecolinguistic Reading of the Creation Story in the Bible: Beyond and

    Taking the cue from the recent developments in ecotheology and its concern with a sustainable world where humans, animals and plants may live in harmony with each other, this paper sets out to investigate the representation of nature in the Bible's origin story. The creation in Genesis is analyzed according to Arran Stibbe's ecolinguistic framework and "the stories we live by". The ...

  23. Is the US a Christian nation? What the Constitution says

    In a 2021 Pew report, 15% of U.S. adults surveyed said the federal government should declare the U.S. a Christian nation, while 18% said the U.S. Constitution was inspired by God. One-third of U.S. adults surveyed in 2023 said God intended America to be a promised land for European Christians to set an example to the world, according to a ...

  24. Bob Moore, Who Founded Bob's Red Mill, Is Dead at 94

    Feb. 13, 2024. Bob Moore, the grandfatherly entrepreneur who, with his wife, Charlee, leveraged an image of organic heartiness and wholesome Americana to turn the artisanal grain company Bob's ...