APA Format Style Guide: Citing the Bible
General Rules
- Religious works published as books follow the book reference format. Religious works published as websites follow the webpage reference format.
- Religious works are usually treated as having no author.
- Annotated versions of a religious work should be treated as having an editor. Translated works use the translator’s name in the reference.
- Use the year of publication of the version you used in the date element of the reference.
- The year of original publication of a religious work may be unknown or in dispute, and is therefore not included in the reference. However, versions of works such as the Bible may be republished; these republished dates are included in the reference.
- When two dates appear in the reference, include both years in the in-text citation, separated with a slash, the earlier year first.
- When referring to the Bible generally, or to versions of the Bible generally, do not use italics (e.g. the King James Version of the Bible, the New Revised Standard Version).
- Cite a chapter or verse in the text using canonical numbering rather than page numbers:
The person vowed to “set me as a seal upon thine heart” (King James Bible, 1769/2017, Song of Solomon 8:6).
Citing the Bible
Remember to indent the second and following lines as you write your reference list entries!
Citing the Bible as a Print Book
The English Standard Version Bible: Containing the Old and New Testaments with Apocrypha. (2009). Oxford University Press.
- Parenthetical Citation: (The English Standard Version Bible, 2009)
- Narrative Citations: The English Standard Version Bible (2009)
Citing the Bible as a Digital Work/Website
King James Bible. (2017). King James Bible Online. https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/ (Original work published 1769)
- Parenthetical Citation: (King James Bible, 1769/2017)
- Narrative Citation: King James Bible (1769/2017)
Citing an Annotated Edition
Kaiser, W.C., Jr., 7 Garrett, D. (Eds.). (2006). NIV archeological study Bible: An illustrated walk through biblical history and culture. Zondervan.
- Parenthetical Citation: (Kaiser & Garrett, 2006)
- Narrative Citation: Kaiser and Garrett (2006)
Cite a chapter or verse of the religious work in the text using canonical numbering rather than page numbers: (Kaiser & Garrett, 2006, Genesis 1:20)
Cite a portion of the work created by its authors or editors using page numbers from the work: (Kaiser & Garrett, 2006, footnote to Genesis 1:12, p. 4)
Remember to indent the second and following lines as you write your reference list entries!
Citing a Chapter in an Edited Book in a Multi-Volume Work
Hagner, D. A. (1995). The parable about fulfilling responsibility. In B.M. Metzger, D.A. Hubbard, & G. W. Barker
(Eds.), Word biblical commentary: Vol. 33B. Matthew 14-18 (pp. 730-737). Thomas Nelson.
- Parenthetical Citation: (Hagner, 1995)
- Narrative Citation: Hagner (1995)
Citing a Multi-Volume Work
Nichol, F. (Ed.). (1980). The Seventh-day Adventist Bible commentary (Vol. 5). Review and Herald Publishing Association.
- Parenthetical Citation: (Nichol,1980)
- Narrative Citation: Nichol (1980)
Citing a Book in a Series
Wilkins, M. J. (2004). Matthew. In T. Muck (Ed.), The NIV application commentary series. Zondervan.
- Parenthetical Citation: (Wilkins, 2004)
- Narrative Citation: Wilkins (2004)
Changes from 6th Edition to 7th Edition
- Cite the Bible as a print book with no author.
- Use the title as the author in both in-text citations and reference list citations.
- Use the canonical numbering instead of page numbers.