Featured Image: Image of a Bible open to a page with text highlighted
Introduction
In the scholarly realm, citing sources accurately is paramount to maintaining academic integrity and ensuring the credibility of one’s research. When it comes to citing the Bible, the American Psychological Association (APA) style provides a comprehensive set of guidelines to ensure consistent and precise referencing. Understanding these guidelines is crucial for researchers, students, and anyone seeking to properly acknowledge their biblical sources in their written work.
Paragraph 1
The APA style for citing the Bible differs slightly depending on the specific reference being cited. For direct quotations from the Bible, the citation includes the book, chapter, and verse. For example, a quote from the Gospel of John, chapter 3, verse 16, would be cited as "John 3:16 (NIV)." The specific English Bible version used must also be indicated in parentheses after the verse reference, such as "New International Version (NIV)" or "Revised Standard Version (RSV)." If the quote is not a direct quotation but rather a summary or paraphrase, the citation includes only the book and chapter, followed by the abbreviation "par."
Paragraph 2
When citing a single verse from the Bible, the chapter and verse number are separated by a colon. However, when referencing a range of verses, a hyphen is used between the verse numbers, such as "Genesis 1:1-5" or "Psalms 100-102." If a citation spans multiple chapters, the chapters are separated by a comma, such as "Exodus 12:1-14, 20-22." When citing the entire book of the Bible, the chapter and verse numbers are omitted, leaving only the book name in italics, such as "Romans" or "Proverbs."
Identify the Version of the Bible
In order to accurately cite the Bible in APA style, it is essential to properly identify the version of the Bible that is being used. There are numerous different versions of the Bible available, and each version may have its own unique formatting and style. The version of the Bible that you are using will determine the specific format that you will need to use when citing it in APA style.
There are two main types of Bible versions: original-language versions and translations. Original-language versions are written in the original languages of the Bible, which are Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek. Translations are versions of the Bible that have been translated from the original languages into other languages, such as English.
The most common English-language Bible version used in academic writing is the New International Version (NIV). However, there are many other English-language Bible versions available, such as the King James Version (KJV), the New American Standard Bible (NASB), and the English Standard Version (ESV). It is important to consult with your instructor or the style guide that you are using to determine which version of the Bible is appropriate for your particular project.
When identifying the version of the Bible that you are using, you should include the following information:
| Information | Example |
|---|---|
| Version name | New International Version |
| Publisher | Zondervan |
| Publication year | 2011 |
| Location | Grand Rapids, MI |
Determine the Type of Reference
Bible Version
Identify the version of the Bible you are citing. For the most widely recognized version, the New International Version (NIV), no version designation is needed. For other versions, include the version name in parentheses after the book name, e.g., (ESV), (KJV), (NKJV).
Examples:
| Citation | Version |
|---|---|
| John 3:16 | NIV (implied) |
| Genesis 1:1 (ESV) | English Standard Version |
Direct Quotations
When directly quoting from the Bible, enclose the quotation in quotation marks. Include the book name, chapter, and verse(s) immediately after the quotation, separated by colons. For example:
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16 NIV)
Indirect References
For indirect references, simply mention the book, chapter, and verse(s). Do not use quotation marks. For example:
The Gospel of John (3:16) teaches that God’s love is unconditional.
Creating an In-Text Citation
When citing the Bible in your text, there are two main components you need to include: the book, chapter, and verse (BCV). If you are citing a specific passage, you will also need to include the range of verses. For example, to cite the first verse of the first chapter of Genesis, you would write: (Genesis 1:1).
You can also use the abbreviation “v.” for verse, as in: (Genesis 1:1 v.)
Including the Book Name in an In-Text Citation
The book name is only included in the first citation of a passage. In subsequent citations of the same book, you can simply use the abbreviation “ibid.” (short for ibidem, Latin for “in the same place”) followed by the chapter and verse reference.
For example, if you cite Genesis 1:1 in the first citation, you can then write: (ibid., 1:2) for the second citation.
| Book Name | Abbreviation |
|---|---|
| Genesis | Gen. |
| Exodus | Exod. |
| Leviticus | Lev. |
| Numbers | Num. |
| Deuteronomy | Deut. |
Formatting the Reference List Entry
Biblical Book: Individual Version
The basic format for citing an individual book of the Bible in the reference list is as follows:
| Element | Example |
|---|---|
| Book Name | Matthew |
| Version | New International Version (NIV) |
Example:
Matthew. New International Version (NIV).
Biblical Passage: Chapter and Verse
When citing a specific passage within a biblical book, include the chapter and verse numbers in parentheses after the book name and version. For example:
Matthew 5:1-12 (NIV)
Paraphrase or Commentary
When citing a paraphrase or commentary on the Bible, include the author, title, and publisher information in the reference list entry:
| Element | Example |
|---|---|
| Author | N. T. Wright |
| Title | Matthew for Everyone |
| Publisher | Westminster John Knox Press |
Example:
Wright, N. T. (2004). Matthew for Everyone. Westminster John Knox Press.
Using a Bible Translation
When using a Bible translation in APA style, you should include the following information in your citation:
- Name of the Bible translation.
- Copyright date of the Bible translation.
- Publisher of the Bible translation.
- Book of the Bible.
- Chapter and verse of the Bible passage.
For example:
The Holy Bible, New International Version. (2011). Zondervan.
Notice that the chapter and verse of the Bible passage are not included in the citation above. This is because the chapter and verse are not considered part of the bibliographic information for the Bible translation. However, you may include the chapter and verse in your citation if you wish.”
If you are citing a specific passage of Scripture, you should include the chapter and verse in your citation. For example:
The Holy Bible, New International Version. (2011). Zondervan. John 3:16.
You may also include the page number of the Bible passage in your citation. For example:
The Holy Bible, New International Version. (2011). Zondervan. John 3:16 (p. 115).
When citing a Bible translation in APA style, it is important to be consistent with your formatting. You should use the same format for all of your Bible citations.
Citing a Specific Verse
When citing a specific verse from the Bible, include the book name, chapter, and verse in that order, separated by periods. For example, to cite the first verse of the first chapter of Genesis, write: Gen. 1.1. If the verse is part of a quotation, enclose the reference in parentheses at the end of the quotation. For example:
As God says in the first book of the Bible, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth” (Gen. 1.1).
If you are citing multiple verses from the same chapter, separate them with commas and include the chapter number only once. For example:
God’s creation of the world is described in detail in the first chapter of Genesis (Gen. 1.1-31).
If you are citing verses from different chapters of the same book, list them separately, with each citation in its own set of parentheses. For example:
Paul discusses the importance of Christian unity in his letters to the Corinthians (1 Cor. 12.12-27; 2 Cor. 13.11).
Element Punctuation Book Period (.) Chapter Period (.) Verse No punctuation Citing a Range of Verses
When citing a range of verses, include the first and last verse in the range, separated by a hyphen (-). For example:
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. (Psalm 23:1)
I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. (Psalm 121:1)In-Text Citation
To cite a range of verses in-text, include the first and last verse in parentheses, separated by a hyphen. For example:
(Psalm 23:1-6)
Reference List Entry
In the reference list, include the book, chapter, and verse range, separated by colons (:). For example:
Psalm 23:1-6
Example in a Table
Type of Citation Format In-Text Citation (Psalm 23:1-6) Reference List Entry Psalm 23:1-6 Citing a Paraphrase or Summary
When citing a paraphrase or summary of a Bible passage, follow these guidelines:
- In-text citation: (Author last name, Year, p. Page number)
- Reference list entry:
Element Format Author Use the name of the author of the paraphrase or summary. If no author is listed, use “Bible.” Year Use the year of publication of the paraphrase or summary. Title Italicize the title of the paraphrase or summary. Edition If necessary, include the edition number. Publisher Include the name of the publisher. Location If the paraphrase or summary is part of a larger work, include the location (e.g., chapter, verse). Page number Include the page number where the paraphrase or summary appears. Example:
**In-text citation:** (Smith, 2020, p. 145)
**Reference list entry:**
- Smith, J. (2020). The Easy-to-Understand Bible Paraphrase (2nd ed.). Tyndale House Publishers.
Avoiding Plagiarism
Plagiarism is the act of presenting someone else’s work as your own. It is a serious offense that can result in academic penalties, such as failing a class or being expelled from school. Here are some tips to avoid plagiarism when citing the Bible:
1. Use quotation marks when quoting directly from the Bible.
For example, if you want to quote the passage “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth” from Genesis 1:1, you would write it as follows:
“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1).
2. Summarize or paraphrase the Bible in your own words.
If you want to use information from the Bible without quoting it directly, you can summarize or paraphrase it in your own words. For example, instead of quoting the passage “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” from John 3:16, you could write:
God loves the world so much that he sent his Son to die for us so that we can have eternal life (John 3:16).
3. Cite your sources correctly.
When you use information from the Bible, you need to cite your sources correctly. The following is the format for citing the Bible in APA style:
Book of the Bible, Chapter:Verse.
For example, to cite the passage quoted in #1 above, you would write:
Genesis 1:1
4. Give credit where credit is due.
If you are using someone else’s work in your paper, you need to give them credit. This means including a citation for their work in your paper. The format for citing a Bible commentary in APA style is as follows:
Author’s last name, First initial. (Year of publication). Title of the commentary. Place of publication: Publisher.
For example, to cite the commentary “The Gospel of John” by William Barclay, you would write:
Barclay, W. (1975). The Gospel of John. Philadelphia: Westminster Press.
5. Get help if you need it.
If you are having trouble avoiding plagiarism, don’t be afraid to ask for help. Your teacher, librarian, or a writing tutor can all help you to avoid plagiarism in your work.
How to Cite the Bible in APA Style
When citing the Bible in APA style, there are a few key things to keep in mind.
First, the Bible is considered a sacred text and should be treated with respect.
Second, the Bible is a large and complex work, and there are many different ways to cite it.
Finally, the specific citation format that you use will depend on the context of your writing.
In-Text Citations
In-text citations for the Bible should include the book name, chapter number, and verse number(s). For example, a citation for the passage “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1) would look like:
(Gen. 1:1)If you are citing a range of verses, you can use a hyphen to indicate the range. For example, a citation for the passage “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters” (Genesis 1:1-2) would look like:
(Gen. 1:1-2)References
In the References section of your paper, you will need to provide a full citation for each Bible passage that you have cited in your text. The format of the reference will vary depending on the version of the Bible that you are using.
Example:
New International Version (NIV)
Bible. (2011). New International Version. Zondervan.New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
Bible. (1989). New Revised Standard Version. Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America.People Also Ask About How to Cite the Bible Apa
How do I cite the Bible in APA style for a direct quote?
To cite the Bible in APA style for a direct quote, you will need to include the book name, chapter number, verse number(s), and version of the Bible that you are using. For example, a citation for the direct quote “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1) from the New International Version (NIV) would look like:
(Gen. 1:1, NIV)How do I cite the Bible in APA style for a paraphrase?
To cite the Bible in APA style for a paraphrase, you will need to include the book name, chapter number, and verse number(s) of the passage that you are paraphrasing. For example, a citation for the paraphrase “God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1) would look like:
(Gen. 1:1)How do I cite the Bible in APA style for a summary?
To cite the Bible in APA style for a summary, you will need to include the book name and the chapter number(s) of the passage that you are summarizing. For example, a citation for the summary “God created the heavens and the earth in six days” (Genesis 1) would look like:
(Gen. 1)
