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 religious 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.
For traditional and shorter abbreviations for books of the bible, see https://hbl.gcc.libguides.com/BibleAbbrevChicago
1. Abbreviated Name of Book Chapter Number:Verse Number (Version).
Bibliography Entry:
Editor's Last Name, First Name, ed. Title of Religious Text. Edition if given and is not first edition. Place of publication: Publisher, Year.
OR
Translator's Last Name, First Name, trans. Title of Religious Text. Edition if given and is not first edition. Place of publication: Publisher, Year.
For books of the Bible, use the traditional abbreviated name for footnotes and the shortened abbreviated name for shortened footnotes. See here for the list of abbreviations.
For shortened footnotes, use the abbreviated name of the version of the Bible. See here for the list of abbreviations.
| Footnote Example |
1. 1 Chron. 21:8 (New Jerusalem Bible). |
| Shortened Footnote Example |
2. 1 Chr 21:8 (NJB). |
| Bibliography Entry Example |
Wansbrough, Henry, ed. The New Jerusalem Bible. New York: Doubleday, 1985. |
| Footnote Example |
1. Rev. 21:3 (Authorized (King James) Version). |
| Shortened Footnote Example |
2. Rv 21:3 (AV). |
| Bibliography Entry Example |
The Bible: Authorized King James Version. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1998. |
| Footnote Example |
1. Qur'an 12:69. |
| Shortened Footnote Example |
2. Qur'an 12:69. |
| Bibliography Entry Example |
Haleem, M.A.S. Abdel, trans. The Qu'ran. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2005. |