On this page
Updated . Example details checked against Oxford University Press, 4th edition, 2010, edited by Michael D. Coogan.
The MLA format
Pattern
Title of the Bible. Edited by First Last, Version, edition, Publisher, Year.
- The edition, not “The Bible”: the title on the cover.
- Version such as New Revised Standard Version.
- Citation: book abbreviated, chapter and verse separated by a period in MLA: Gen. 1.1.
- Later citations give only the passage, as long as you use one edition.
A real example
Works Cited entry
The New Oxford Annotated Bible. Edited by Michael D. Coogan, New Revised Standard Version, 4th ed., Oxford UP, 2010.
In-text citation
(New Oxford Annotated Bible, Gen. 1.1)
When details are missing
- No editors: leave “Edited by” out.
- An online Bible: add the website in italics and the URL.
Common mistakes
- A colon between chapter and verse. MLA uses a period: John 3.16.
- Italicizing book names. Books of the Bible are not italic: Gen., John.
Or let Format do it.
Choose Sacred text and fill in the edition, version, editors and publisher. Type the book, chapter and verse when you press Cite. Format writes the Works Cited entry and the in-text citation in MLA 9, exactly as shown above, and builds the Works Cited page when you export to Word or PDF. MLA and APA are free.
Questions
Do I abbreviate the books?
In parentheses, yes (Gen., Matt., 1 Cor.). In your sentences, spell them out.
Two versions?
List both and name the version in each citation.
More citation guides
The same source in other styles
Similar sources in MLA
Every source kind is on the MLA page, and every style is on How to cite.