Skip to Main Content

RELI 206: The Bible in the ANE: SBL Citations

Spring 2023 | Starbuck

SBL Handbook of Style

The official source for SBL citations. The library owns a copy which can't be checked out, so it's always available for you to thumb through.

Find it at:
Foley 1st Floor Reference PN147 .S26 1999

SBL Blog

SBL Style Examples

Hebrew Bible in ANE Context Style Sheet

Your paper is to be written in 12' Times New Roman Font and double-spaced throughout. 

Use 1 inch margins on all sides.

Double-space all main text except for block quotations (long quotations of 5 lines or more)

Please use internal citations rather than footnotes.

Please include a bibliography.

Abbreviations for journals and reference works are found here:  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Gg2UMldWshCYDD4rQ53CpNfMkySdu-j5s8Te9aGQPsk/edit#gid=1103774084

A list of abbreviations for Hebrew Bible books is found here: https://www.nashotah.edu/sites/default/files/Biblical%20Abbreviations.pdf

This citation program may prove useful: http://www.citethisforme.com/guides/society-of-biblical-literature-fullnote-bibliography

Click the other tabs in this box for some key examples.

Edited Bible book:

Footnote

12. Bernard M. Levinson, ed. Deuteronomy in The New Oxford Annotated Bible (ed. Michael D. Coogen; Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2001), 253.

19. Levinson, Deuteronomy, 201.

Internal citation

Sentence (Levinson 2001, 301).

According to Bernard M. Levinson, "...quotation..." (2001, 301).

Bibliography

Levinson, Bernard M., ed. Deuteronomy. Pages 240-308 in The New Oxford Annotated Bible. Edited by Michael D. Coogen. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2001.

 

Bible Commentaries

Footnote

4. Raymond Brown, The Gospel According to John XII-XXI, Anchor Bible 29A (Garden City: Doubleday, 1966), 980.

32. Brown, The Gospel According to John XII-XXI. 1159.

Internal citation

Sentence (Brown 1966, 1159).

According to Raymond Brown, “...quotation...” (1966, 1159).

Bibliography

Brown, Raymond. The Gospel According to John. 2 vols. Anchor Bible 29A.Garden City: Doubleday,1966.

 

Dictionary or encyclopedia entry

Footnote

  1. Krister. Stendahl, “Biblical Theology, Contemporary,” IDB 1:418-32.
  2. Stendahl, “Biblical Theology” 1:419.

Internal citation

Sentence (Stendahl 1962, 1:422).

According to K. Stendahl, “...quotation...” (1962, 1:422).

Bibliography

Stendahl, Krister. “Biblical Theology, Contemporary.” IDB 1:418-32.

 

Article in a journal

Footnote

  1. Marcus Joel, “Rivers of Living Water from Jesus’ Belly (John 7:38),” Journal of Biblical Literature 117 (1998): 329.
  2. Joel, “Rivers of Living Water,” 330.

Internal citation

Sentence (Joel, 1998, 330).

According to Marcus Joel, “...quotation...” (1998, 330).

Bibliography

Joel, Marcus. “Rivers of Living Water from Jesus’ Belly (John 7:38).” Journal of Biblical Literature 117 (1998): 328-330.

 

Book

Footnote

12. Martin Hengel, The Johannine Question (London: SCM; Philadelphia: Trinity Press, 1989), 132.

19. Hengel, The Johannine Question, 152.

Internal citation

Sentence (Hengel 1989, 152).

According to Martin Hengel, “...quotation...” (1989, 152).

Bibliography

Hengel, Martin. The Johannine Question. London: SCM; Philadelphia: Trinity Press, 1989.

Electronic Book

When citing an online version of a book, include the DOI instead of the book format. If the DOI is not available, include the URL in the citation.

Footnote

  1. Jo-Ann A. Brant, Ancient Fiction the Matrix of Early Christian and Jewish Narrative. (Atlanta: Society of Biblical Literature, 2005), E-book edition, 129. 
  2. Brant, Ancient Fiction, 132.

Bibliography

Brant, Jo-Ann A. Ancient Fiction the Matrix of Early Christian and Jewish Narrative.Atlanta: Society of Biblical Literature, 2005. E-book edition.

 

Electronic Journal Article

43. Carl P. E. Springer, "Of Roosters and Repetitio: Ambrose's Aeterne rerum conditor," VC 68 (2014): 155-77, doi:10.1163/15700720-12341158.

45. Springer, "Of Roosters and Repetitio," 158.

Springer, Carl P.E. "Of Roosters and Repetitio: Ambrose's Aeterne rerum conditor." VC 68 (2014): 155-77. doi:10.1163/15700720-12341158.

SBL STANDARD BIBLICAL REFERENCE FORMS

Mark 7:11-21 means chapter 7 verses 11 through 21.
Mark 7:11-21:1 means chapter 7, verse 11 through to chapter 21, verse 1.
Mark 7-10 means chapters 7 through 1.
Mark 7, 8 and 10 means chapter 7, chapter 8 and chapter 10.
Mark 7:11, 21 means chapter 7 verses 11 and 21.
Mark 7:11; 21 means chapter 7 verse 11 and chapter 21.

(Normally a colon divides chapter from verse, a semi-colon divides chapter from chapter, and a comma divides verse from verse.)

For other questions, see the full set of instructions and examples, see the SBL Handbook Student Supplement.