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 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.

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.

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.

Frequently asked questions about MLA citations

How do I cite a source with no author or page numbers in MLA?

If a source has no author, start the MLA Works Cited entry with the source title. Use a shortened version of the title in your MLA in-text citation.

If a source has no page numbers, you can use an alternative locator (e.g. a chapter number, or a timestamp for a video or audio source) to identify the relevant passage in your in-text citation. If the source has no numbered divisions, cite only the author’s name (or the title).

If you already named the author or title in your sentence, and there is no locator available, you don’t need a parenthetical citation:

• Rajaram argues that representations of migration are shaped by “cultural, political, and ideological interests.”
• The homepage of The Correspondent describes it as “a movement for radically different news.”

How do you write a book title in MLA?

In MLA style, book titles appear in italics, with all major words capitalized. If there is a subtitle, separate it from the main title with a colon and a space (even if no colon appears in the source). For example:

Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance

The format is the same in the Works Cited list and in the text itself. However, when you mention the book title in the text, you don’t have to include the subtitle.

The title of a part of a book—such as a chapter, or a short story or poem in a collection—is not italicized, but instead placed in quotation marks.