How to Quote the Bible in an Essay

To quote the Bible in an essay, put the verse in quotation marks, then cite the version, book, chapter, and verse. The two styles punctuate the reference differently: MLA separates chapter and verse with a period, like (New Revised Standard Version, John 3.16), while APA uses a colon, like (New International Version, 2011, John 3:16). You name the version the first time you quote it, and you abbreviate the book of the Bible. The book names themselves are never italicized; the version title is. Below are both styles and the small rules that catch people out.

Quote a Bible verse in MLA 9

MLA italicizes the version the first time you cite it, then abbreviates the book and uses a period between chapter and verse. There is a comma between the version and the reference.

The command is direct: “love your neighbor as yourself” (New Revised Standard Version, Lev. 19.18).

After the first citation, you can drop the version if you keep using the same one: (Lev. 19.18). MLA 9 does want the Bible listed on your Works Cited page as a titled edition:

• The Holy Bible: New Revised Standard Version. Zondervan, 1989.

Abbreviate books with MLA’s standard forms, such as Gen., Ps., Matt., and 1 Cor. The general MLA quoting method is in how to quote in MLA.

Quote a Bible verse in APA 7

APA treats a specific Bible version as a book with a publication year, so it gets a reference entry and a colon between chapter and verse. Name the version the first time and include the year.

The verse reads, “For God so loved the world” (New International Version, 2011, John 3:16).

APA 7 changed the older rule and now asks you to include the Bible in the reference list. Give the version, the year of the edition you used, and, when relevant, the original publication date:

• New International Version. (2011). Zondervan. (Original work published 1978)

After the first mention, later in-text citations can drop the year if the version does not change. APA’s full direct-quote conventions are in APA quote citation.

Italics, book names, and abbreviations

Three details cause most of the mistakes:

• Italicize the version title (New Revised Standard Version) but not the names of the books (Genesis, John, Romans).
• Abbreviate the book in the parenthetical citation, though you can spell it out in your running sentence.
• Use a period between chapter and verse in MLA and a colon in APA. This is the single most common slip when students switch styles.

The reasoning behind version-plus-locator citations, and when a locator is required, is in how to cite a quote and when you need a page number.

Quoting more than one verse or a passage

To quote a range, join the verses with a hyphen: (John 3.16-17) in MLA, (John 3:16–17) in APA. If the quotation runs longer than four lines in MLA or forty words in APA, set it as a block quote, indented, with no quotation marks, and put the citation after the final punctuation. Keep the exact wording of your chosen version; do not blend two translations inside one set of quotation marks. Which version you name matters, so state it and stay consistent. The full MLA in-text pattern is in MLA quote citation.

FAQ

Do I italicize the word Bible?

Italicize the title of a specific version, such as King James Version or New International Version, when it functions as the title of the edition. The generic word “Bible” and the names of individual books like Genesis and Matthew are not italicized.

Period or colon between chapter and verse?

MLA uses a period: John 3.16. APA uses a colon: John 3:16. This is the main formatting difference between the two styles for scripture, so match it to whichever style your essay follows.

Do I have to name the version?

Yes, the first time you quote scripture, because wording varies between translations. After the first citation you can leave the version out as long as you keep quoting the same one. Note the version so a reader can check your exact wording.

Does the Bible go in my Works Cited or References page?

In current MLA 9 and APA 7, yes. List the specific version you used as a titled edition in MLA, or as a book with a year in APA. Older guidance said to skip it, but both styles now include it.