What follows below are some examples of how to cite the Bible in MLA. For more detailed information and examples, please see Liberty University's Writing Center MLA citation examples or MLA's style site.
Include the version (ESV, NIV, ASB, etc.) followed by the book, chapter, and verse(s).
Example:
Paul explains salvation when he says, "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast" (English Standard Version, Eph. 2:8-9).
You do not need to list the version in subsequent in-text citations as long as you are using the same Bible version throughout your paper.
Physical Bible:
The Bible. Authorized King James Version, Oxford UP, 1998.
The ESV Study Bible. Crossway, 2012.
Electronic Bible:
New International Version. Bible Gateway, https://www.biblegateway.com/versions/New-International-Version-NIV-Bible/#booklist. Accessed 10 September 2020.
Bible App:
English Standard Version. ESV Bible, app version 4.1.1. Crossway. 2021.