How to Cite the Bible in MLA | Format & Examples
MLA in-text citations of the Bible differ from other book citations in that they list the book, chapter, and verse rather than the page number.
In the Works Cited entry, it’s important to list the version of the Bible you used, not just “The Bible.” Include a URL if you accessed an online version of the Bible.
MLA format | Bible Title. Edited by Editor first name Last name, Publisher, Year, URL. |
---|---|
MLA Works Cited entry | The ESV Bible. Crossway, 2001, www.esv.org/. |
MLA in-text citation | (ESV Bible, Matt. 1.2) |
You can use our free MLA Citation Generator to create accurate citations for your sources.
MLA in-text citations of the Bible
In your in-text citations, MLA recommends abbreviating the names of the different books of the Bible. A list of standard abbreviations can be found here.
Additionally, chapter and verse numbers are separated by a period in MLA style, not a colon—unlike in some other styles.
- (Ezek. 1:5)
- (Ezek. 1.5)
Use an en dash to indicate a range of verses. If the range extends across chapters, include the new chapter number after the dash; otherwise, don’t repeat the chapter number.
- (Ezek. 1.5–1.6)
- (Ezek. 1.5–6)
- (Ezek. 1.5–2.1)
The first Bible citation in your text should include the Bible’s title, abbreviated if necessary (and always omitting “The” from the beginning).
You can omit this part in subsequent citations. However, if you are citing multiple different versions of the Bible, include the title each time to clarify which you’re referring to, and include a separate entry for each version in your Works Cited list.
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Version information in the Works Cited entry
The format of the Works Cited entry varies depending on whether the version is already clear from the title or needs to be clarified afterwards. Use the following format if the version is already clear from the title.
MLA format | Bible Title. Edited by Editor first name Last name, Publisher, Year. |
---|---|
MLA Works Cited entry | The Bible: Authorized King James Version. Edited by Robert Carroll and Stephen Prickett, Oxford UP, 2008. |
MLA in-text citation | (Bible, Gen. 5.2) |
If the version needs to be clarified, do so after the title. This version information is capitalized but not italicized, and it is separated from the title with a period.
MLA format | Bible Title. Version Name, edited by Editor first name Last name, Publisher, Year. |
---|---|
MLA Works Cited entry | Holy Bible. American Standard Version, Bible Domain Publishing, 2013. |
MLA in-text citation | (Holy Bible, John 1.1) |
Frequently asked questions about MLA citations
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Caulfield, J. (2024, March 05). How to Cite the Bible in MLA | Format & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved April 14, 2025, from https://www.scribbr.com/mla/bible-citation/