When you refer to whole chapters/whole books of the Bible or Apocrypha in the text of your paper, spell out the names of the books; do not italicize or underline them.
Example: 2 Samuel 12 records the prophet Nathan’s confrontation of King David.
Cite the Bible in footnotes, endnotes, or parenthetical citations. You do not need to include the Bible in your bibliography/reference list.
When you are citing a particular passage of Scripture, include the abbreviated name of the book, the chapter number, and the verse number—never a page number. Chapter and verse are separated by a colon.
Example: 1 Cor. 13:4, 15:12-19
Example: Gn 1:1-2, 2:1-3; Jn 1:1-14
Note that Turabian includes two lists of abbreviations for books of the Bible: a traditional abbreviation list and a shorter abbreviation list. Click here to see the lists of abbreviations. You may use either list, but be consistent throughout your paper. Or if you like, you may check with your professor.
Include the name of the version you are citing. You may either spell out the name of the version, at least in the first reference, or you may use abbreviations without preceding or internal punctuation. After the first citation you need to indicate the version only if you quote from another version.
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Examples of parenthetical citation: |
Examples of footnote or endnote: |
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(Gen. 12:1-3 [Revised Standard Version]) |
1. Ps. 139:13-16 (NAB) |
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(Jn 3:16-17 [NAB]) |
2. Eph 6:10-17 |
** Information taken from A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations, 9th ed., 2018, sections 17.8.2, 19.8.2, and 24.6.1-4.
Note: A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations, edited by Kate L. Turabian, is an abbreviated version of The Chicago Manual of Style.