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SBL Style Guide


Biblical Books & Versions

While the books contained in the New Testament (NT) do not differ amongst all three Christian traditions (Orthodox, Roman Catholic, and Protestant), the same is not the case with the Old Testament (OT) books. All three Christian traditions include or exclude certain ancient works in their respective OT canons.

A full list of abbreviations for versions and biblical texts can be found in §8.2 - §8.3.3 (pages 121-125) of SBLHS.

English Versions of the Bible Abbreviations

There are dozens of English translations or versions of the bible available today. The list below represents the most widely used modern English versions and their common abbreviations.

English Version

Abbrev.

American Standard Version

ASV

English Standard Version

ESV

Holman Christian Standard Bible

HCSB

Jerusalem Bible

JB

King James Version

KJV

New American Bible, Revised Edition

NABR

New American Standard Bible

NASB

New English Translation

NET

New English Translation of the Septuagint

NETS

New International Version

NIV

New Jerusalem Bible

NJB

New King James Version

NKJV

New Living Translation

NLT

New Revised Standard Version

NRSV

Revised English Bible

REB

Revised Standard Version

RSV

Biblical & Apocryphal Books Abbreviations

The Protestant OT canon has the same books as the Hebrew Bible (HB), but their arrangement differs. In Protestant English bibles, the OT books are arranged mostly by genre: Pentatuach, Historical Books, Wisdom Literature, and Prophetic Books. In the Hebrew Bible (or Tanakh) the books are arranged in three groups: the Law, the Prophets, and the Writings.

The Hebrew Bible has different names for Ecclesiastes and Song of Songs. Additionally, the Greek version of the OT (called the Septuagint and abbreviated as LXX) has different names for 1-2 Samuel and 1-2 Kings (see the italics below).

Title

Abbrev.

Genesis

Gen

Exodus

Exod

Leviticus

Lev

Numbers

Num

Deuteronomy

Deut

Joshua

Josh

Judges

Judg

Ruth

Ruth

1-2 Samuel

1-2 Sam

1-2 Kingdoms

1-2 Kgdms

1-2 Kings

1-2 Kgs

3-4 Kingdoms

3-4 Kgdms

1-2 Chronicles

1-2 Chr

Ezra

Ezra

Nehemiah

Neh

Esther

Esth

Job

Job

Psalm(s)

Ps(s)

Proverbs

Prov

Ecclesiastes

Eccl

Qoheleth

Qoh

Title

Abbrev.

Song of Songs

Song

Canticles

Cant

Isaiah

Isa

Jeremiah

Jer

Lamentations

Lam

Ezekiel

Ezek

Daniel

Dan

Hosea

Hos

Joel

Joel

Amos

Amos

Obadiah

Obad

Jonah

Jonah

Micah

Mic

Nahum

Nah

Habakkuk

Hab

Zephaniah

Zeph

Haggai

Hag

Zechariah

Zech

Malachi

Mal

In the Eastern Orthodox tradition and Roman Catholicism, the OT has a number of additional books and additions not found in the Protestant OT or Hebrew Bible. These books were written in the Second Temple Period. Protestants refer to these books as the Apocrypha and Roman Catholics call them Deuterocanonical. Eastern Orthodoxy has a few more books in addition to the Roman Catholic Deuterocanonical works. All these books were arguably not included in the Hebrew Bible of the Jewish people at the time of Christ, which is why Protestants do not recognize them as Scripture.

Eastern Orthodoxy &
Roman Catholicism

Title

Abbrev.

Tobit

Tob

Judith

Jdt

Additions to Esther

Add Esth

Wisdom of Solomon

Wis

Sirach/ Ecclesiasticus

Sir

Baruch

Bar

Epistle of Jeremiah

Ep Jer

Additions to Daniel

Add Dan

Prayer of Azariah

Pr Azar

Song of the Three Young Men

Sg Three

Susanna

Sus

Bel and the Dragon

Bel

1-2 Maccabees

1-2 Macc

Eastern Orthodoxy

Title

Abbrev.

1 Esdras

1 Esd

Prayer of Manasseh

Pr Man

Psalm 151

Ps 151

3 Maccabees

3 Macc

2 Esdras

2 Esd

4 Maccabees

4 Macc

The NT canon is traditionally organized in four sections: (1) the Gospels & Acts, (2) the Pauline Epistles, (3) the Catholic or General Epistles, and (4) Revelation.

Title

Abbrev.

Matthew

Matt

Mark

Mark

Luke

Luke

John

John

Acts

Acts

Romans

Rom

1-2 Corinthians

1-2 Cor

Galatians

Gal

Ephesians

Eph

Philippians

Phil

Colossians

Col

Title

Abbrev.

1-2 Thessalonians

1-2 Thess

1-2 Timothy

1-2 Tim

Titus

Titus

Philemon

Phlm

Hebrews

Heb

James

Jas

1-2 Peter

1-2 Pet

1-2-3 John

1-2-3 John

Jude

Jude

Revelation

Rev