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MLA
Guide: Sacred Texts
The MLA Handbook does not directly
address the matter of quoting from sacred texts. It does contain a list of
abbreviated titles (see below) that should be used in the parenthetical
citation of books of the Bible, however.
This Guide for Writing Research Papers
suggests that once it is clear which edition or version of the Bible (or other
sacred text) you are using - which you can establish within the text of your
paper, within a footnote, or in the Works Cited page (see below) -
parenthetical documentation of quoted language from the scriptures needs to
include the book, chapter, and verse.
Works Cited
The Holy Bible. Revised Standard Version.
New York: New American
Library, 1962.
Holy Qur'an. Trans. M. H. Shakir. Elmhurst,
NY: Tahrike Tarsile Qur'an,
n.d.
(The titles of sacred scriptures are generally
neither italicized nor underlined.)
In-Text Citation
The prophet says that good and bad measures will be dealt by God with
a just hand: "For thus says the Lord: Just as I have brought all this
great evil upon this people, so I will bring upon them all the good that I
promise them" (Jer. 32.42).
"It is not righteousness that you turn your faces towards the East and
the West, but righteousness is this that one should believe in Allah and the
last day and the angels and the Book and the prophets, and give away wealth
out of love for Him to the near of kin and the orphans and the needy and the
wayfarer and the beggars" (al-Baqarah 2:177.4).
If the book of the Bible (or other sacred
text) is clear from the context, only the chapter and verse need be cited.
The MLA Handbook suggests the following
abbreviations for books of the Bible:
The Old Testament Books
| Gen. |
Genesis
|
| Exod. |
Exodus
|
| Lev. |
Leviticus
|
| Num. |
Numbers
|
| Deut. |
Deuteronomy
|
| Josh. |
Joshua
|
| Judg. |
Judges
|
| Ruth |
Ruth
|
| 1 Sam. |
1 Samuel
|
| 2 Sam. |
2 Samuel
|
| 1 Kings |
1 Kings
|
| 2 Kings |
2 Kings
|
| 1 Chron. |
1 Chronicles
|
| 2 Chron. |
2 Chronicles
|
| Ezra |
Ezra
|
| Neh. |
Nehemia
|
| Esth. |
Esther
|
| Job |
Job
|
| Ps. |
Psalms
|
| Prov. |
Proverbs
|
| Eccles. |
Ecclesiastes
|
Song Sol
(also Cant.) |
Song of Solomon
(also Canticles)
|
| Isa. |
Isaiah
|
| Jer. |
Jeremiah
|
| Lam. |
Lamentations
|
| Ezek |
Ezekial
|
| Dan. |
Daniel
|
| Hos. |
Hosea
|
| Joel |
Joel
|
| Amos |
Amox
|
| Obad. |
Obadiah
|
| Jon. |
Jonah
|
| Mic. |
Micah
|
| Nah. |
Nahum
|
| Hab. |
Habakkuk
|
| Zeph. |
Zephaniah
|
| Hag. |
Haggai
|
| Zech. |
Zechariah
|
| Mal. |
Malachi |
The New Testament Books
| Matt. |
Matthew
|
| Mark |
Mark
|
| Luke |
Luke
|
| John |
John
|
| Acts |
Acts
|
| Rom |
Romans
|
| 1 Cor. |
1 Corinthians
|
| 2 Cor. |
2 Corinthians
|
| Gal. |
Gatlatians
|
| Eph. |
Ephesians
|
| Phil. |
Philippians
|
| Col. |
Colossians
|
| 1 Thess. |
1 Thessalonians
|
| 2 Thess. |
2 Thessalonians
|
| 1 Tim. |
1 Timothy
|
| 2 Tim. |
2 Timothy
|
| Tit. |
Titus
|
| Philem. |
Philemon
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| Heb. |
Hebrews
|
| Jas. |
James
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| 1 Pet. |
1 Peter
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| 2 Pet. |
2 Peter
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| 1 John |
1 John
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| 2 John |
2 John
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| 3 John |
3 John
|
| Jude |
Jude
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Rev.
(also Apoc.) |
Revelation
(also Apocalypse) |
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