The Modern Language Association (MLA) is a citation style commonly used in the humanities and free arts. In this style, you need to use in-text citations (bracketed citations) to direct the reader to a reference page with a complete list of citation entries at the end of the article. The Bible citation process is a bit complicated, but the key is to include as much information as possible in the right order.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Creating In-Text Quotes
Step 1. Begin the entry with an opening parenthesis at the end of the sentence
Most MLA-style quotes are added at the end of the sentence, just before the period. Sometimes, you need to insert a quote before the comma if the sentence requires two quote entries.
-
For example, you could start the quote in the text like this:
Jesus established the second law of love which reads: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself"
Step 2. Enter the title or Bible version used in italics
Some Bibles have titles other than “Bible” (eg “Study Edition Bible”). Therefore, use the appropriate title or version. Use only "Bible" if it has only one title, but don't type the title in italics. Continue the title or version of the Bible with a comma.
-
For example, you could write it as follows:
Jesus established the second law of love which reads: "Love your neighbor as you love yourself" (The Bible in Today's Indonesian,
-
If the title of the Bible was simply “Bible”, you could write it like this:
Jesus established the second law of love which reads: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself" (Bible,
- If you use the same Bible for a single text, you don't need to repeat the name of the Bible after the first time you quote it.
-
If you're using an untitled online Bible, start with the version name:
(Simplified Indonesian Translation,
Step 3. Use the abbreviated version of the book name
The next citation element is the book containing the verse you quoted. Usually, you can use an abbreviated book name, followed by a period. If the name of the book is already short, you don't need to abbreviate it again. However, do not insert a period after it. You can check the abbreviations that can be used here:
-
For example, your quote would look like this:
Jesus established the second law of love which reads: "Love your neighbor as you love yourself" (Bible in Today's Indonesian, Mr
- For a book with a longer name (eg Ezekiel,), you can write it like this: (The Bible in Modern Indonesian, Ezek.
Step 4. Include chapters and verses, and separate them with periods
Article is the part number containing the paragraph. If you are using multiple verses, insert a hyphen between continuing verses or a comma if you skip verses between the two quoted verses.
-
For example, you might write it as follows:
Jesus established the second law of love which reads: "Love your neighbor as you love yourself" (Bible in Modern Indonesian, Mark 12.31
-
If you use multiple verses, you can write them as follows:
(The Bible in Today's Indonesian, Mark 12.30-33
-
If you skip the verses between the two quoted verses, you can write them as follows:
(Bible in Modern Indonesian, Mark 12.31, 34
-
To list multiple chapters and verses, follow this method:
(Bible in Today's Indonesian Language, Mark 12.31-13.2
Step 5. End the quote entry with a closing parenthesis and period
The closing parenthesis tells the reader that the quote has ended. After that, just add a closing punctuation mark (usually a period at the end of the sentence).
-
Your final quote entry should look like this:
Jesus established the second law of love which reads: "Love your neighbor as you love yourself" (Bible in Modern Indonesian, Mark 12.31)
Method 2 of 3: Creating a Bibliographic Entry
Step 1. Enter the title of the Bible used first
Sometimes, your Bible is simply titled “The Bible”. However, some Bibles have other titles such as Study Edition Bibles. Use italic text and insert a period after the title.
-
Your bibliographic entry should look like this:
Bible in Indonesian Today
Step 2. Add the version after the title
Version refers to the text used in the Bible you are reading. Usually, you can find the version on the title page. Do not italicize the version text and continue with a comma.
-
You can write it as follows:
New Testament Bible – Indonesian Simplified Translation. Second Edition,
Step 3. List editors if available
Some versions of the Bible mention the name of the editor. You can enter the phrase " Edited by " or " Edited by ", followed by the author's full name. If the Bible has editor information, use a comma after the version and insert a period after the editor's name.
-
Your entry will look like this:
- New Testament Bible – Indonesian Simplified Translation. Second Edition. Edited by Albata,
- For Indonesian: New Testament Bible – Indonesian Simplified Translation. Second Edition. Edited by Albata,
Step 4. State the city of publisher, followed by a colon and the name of the publisher
If the publishing city is well-known, you don't need to mention the state or country. Otherwise, you can insert a state or state abbreviation. Add a comma after the publisher name.
-
For example, your quote entry would look like this:
New Testament Bible – Indonesian Simplified Translation. Second Edition, Jakarta: Albata,
Step 5. Enter the date of issue
Look for the date of publication on the front or back of the title page. You only need to include the year of publication. Continue with a period to end the bibliographic entry.
New Testament Bible – Indonesian Simplified Translation. Second Edition, Jakarta: Albata, 2014
Method 3 of 3: Creating a Bibliographic Entry for the Bible Online
Step 1. Name the Bible version first
Most online Bibles don't have official titles, so you can use the version you have access to. This information helps readers find citation entries more quickly. Type the version in italics because version is the name of a section or segment of the website.
-
You can write it as follows:
Word of the Living God
Step 2. Add the name of the website managing organization
You do not need to write the name of the organization in italics. The organization name may be the same as the website name. Use a comma after it.
-
For example, your entry will look like this:
The Living Word of God. bible.com,
Step 3. Add the URL after the organization or website name
The URL is the web address that contains the Bible verse you are quoting. Insert a period after the site address.
-
Now, your bibliography entry should look like this:
Word of the Living God. Bible.com,
Step 4. End the entry with the date of access
Enter the date you accessed or visited the web page. Write the word “Accessed” or the phrase “Accessed on”, followed by the date, month (abbreviation), and year of access.
-
Your final bibliography entry should look like this:
- Word of the Living God. Bible.com, https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+12&version=NRSV. Accessed 28 Sept. 2018.
- For Indonesian: The Living Word of God. Bible.com, https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+12&version=NRSV. Retrieved Sept. 28. 2018.
