Skip to Main Content Skip to main content
The library will be launching a new catalog on Thursday, November 20. From November 15 - 19, our current system for will be unavailable while we transition to the new system. Library services will remain available, but we do recommend holding on to any library items you need to return until after Thanksgiving break. Eagle Library Search and A-Z Databases will remain available. Please call one of our libraries if you have any questions.

MLA Style Guide for Citations (9th edition): Religious Texts

On This Page

Tips

Name of Generic Religious Texts in the Body of Your Paper

Do not italicize or use quotation marks in your paper when referring to a generic religious text. These terms appear without italics or quotation marks when referred to in your paper:

Bible, Old Testament, Genesis, Gospels, Talmud, Qur'an (Koran), Upanishads.

Only italicize titles of individual published editions of religous texts (e.g., The Talmud of the Land of Israel: A Preliminary Translation and Explanation, The Interlinear Bible, etc.) when specifically citing them in your paper.

In-Text Citations

The titles of books of scripture are often abbreviated for the in-text citation. For a full list of abbreviations, consult section 1.6.4 of the MLA Handbook.

Bible/Qur'an/Talmud, etc. (All Scripture)

Title. Editor statement, First Name Last Name of Editor, Publisher, Year of publication.

Works Cited List Example

The New Jerusalem Bible. General editor, Henry Wansbrough, Doubleday, 1985. 
In-Text Citation Example

(New Jerusalem Bible 1 Chron. 21.8)

 Note: The titles of books of scripture are often abbreviated for the in-text citation. For a full list of abbreviations, consult section 1.6.4 of the MLA Handbook.
   
Works Cited List Example

The  Bible. Introd. and notes by Robert Carroll and Stephen Prickett, Oxford UP, 1998. Oxford World's Classics. Authorized King James Vers.

 Note: If the edition is based on a named version of the text, the name of the version can be recorded at the end of the entry, as "Authorized King James Vers" is above.
In-Text Citation Example

(The Bible Rev. 21.3)

 Note: The titles of books of scripture are often abbreviated for the in-text citation.For a full list of abbreviations, consult section 1.6.4 of the MLA Handbook
   
Works Cited List Example

The Qur'an. Trans. by M.A.S. Abdel Haleem, Oxford UP, 2005.
In-Text Citation Example

(The Qur'an Joseph 12:69)

 Note: The titles of books of scripture are often abbreviated for the in-text citation. For a full list of abbreviations, consult section 1.6.4 of the MLA Handbook.

©2025 Houston City College Libraries