Skip to Main Content

BCM 120: Introduction to Biblical Studies

Woman looks at a computer on top of a short shelf of reference books

Reference Room

Concordance

Use concordances to find:

1. All locations of a word in the Bible.

2. The original Greek or Hebrew translation of a word.

Want to find more about the original translation? Use a Lexicon.

Lexicons

Use a lexicon to look up detailed translations of a word from Hebrew, Greek, or Aramaic.

Need more information about the verse that you found? Use a commentary.

Commentaries

Use commentaries to read different interpretations on specific verses & passages.

Do you want more detailed commentary? Use the ATLA database.

ATLA Database

Use the "Scripture" tab to find scholarly articles on specific passages.

Does the commentary mention a specific location you want to explore? Use an atlas.

Atlas

Use atlases to see maps and learn more about the geography of the biblical world.

Do you want more detailed information about the people, places, culture, etc. mentioned in the commentary? Use dictionaries and encyclopedias.

Dictionaries & Encyclopedias

Use general dictionaries & encyclopedias for more information, or subject-specific ones on medicine, archaeology, etc. to get detailed information.

How to use the biblical research resources infographic

Citing the Bible

Unlike most books, the Bible, the books of the Bible, and versions of the Bible are not italicized or underlined. However, individual published versions of the Bible are italicized. For example:

  • New International Version
  • Habakkuk
  • The Bible
  • The ESV Study Bible
Chicago Citations of the Bible
  Format Example
Note

1. Book of the Bible 3:16 (Version).

1. 2 Kgs. 2:23 (The ESV Classic Reference Edition).

1. 2 Kgs. 2:23 (New International Version).

Subsequent Notes 1. Book of the Bible 3:16 (Version, abbreviated).

1. 2 Kgs. 2:23 (ESV).

1. 2 Kgs. 2:23 (NIV).

Bibliography Not needed

 

Shorter bookshelf of concordances

Concordances

Use

Use concordances to find:

1. All locations of a word in the Bible.

2. The original Greek or Hebrew translation of a word.

Location

Concordances are located in the Reference Room from BS 425.E4 - BS 425.Y7

Online Version

While there isn't a direct online equivalent of concordances, Blue Letter Bible allows both searching by word and looking up the original Hebrew, Aramaic, or Greek.

Citation

Use the abbreviation s.v. before listing the title of the article in your notes.

  Format Example
Shortened Note

1. Title of Concordance, s.v. "Article Title."

1. Zondervan NASB Exhaustive Concordance, s.v. "Tselem."
Bibliography Authors Name. "Article Title." In Title of Concordance, edited by Editor, vol. #, pages, Publisher City: Publisher, Date. "Tselem." In Zondervan NASB Exhaustive Concordance, edited by Daniel L. Fox, 1460, Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2000.

Where to Go Next

Want to find more about the original translation? Use a Lexicon.

Floor to ceiling bookshelf of commentaries

Commentaries

Use

  • Use commentaries to read different interpretations on specific verses & passages.

Location

Commentaries are located in the References Room from BS 491 - BS 2361

Online Version

Off-campus? Use one of our e-book commentaries:

Citation

Use the abbreviation s.v. before listing the title of the article in your notes.

  Format Example
First Note 1. Author, Title, Series Title (Place of publication: Publisher, Year of publication), Page number. 1. Peter Enns. Exodus, The NIV Application Commentary Series (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2000), 418.
Shortened Note

2. Author's Last Name, Shortened Title, Page number.

2. Enns. Exodus, 420-22.
Bibliography Author. Title. Series Title. Place of publication: Publisher, Year of publication. Enns, Peter. Exodus. The NIV Application Commentary Series. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2000.

 

Where to Go Next

Do you want more detailed commentary? Use the ATLA database, and search by scripture reference for articles focused on your passage:

Shorter shelf of Bible dictionaries

Dictionaries, Encyclopedias, & Lexicons

Use

  • Use general dictionaries & encyclopedias for more information, or subject-specific ones on medicine, archaeology, etc. to get detailed information.
  • Use a lexicon to look up detailed translations of a word from Hebrew, Greek, or Aramaic.

Location

  • Dictionaries & encyclopedias are located in the Reference Room from BS 440 - BS 475
  • Greek Lexicons are located in the Reference Room from PA 31 - PA 861
  • Hebrew & Aramaic Lexicons are located in the Reference Room at PJ 4833

Online Version

Off-campus? Use one of our e-book dictionaries, encyclopedias & lexicons:

Citation

Use the abbreviation s.v. before listing the title of the article in your notes.

  Format Example
Shortened Note

1. Title of Dictionary, s.v. "Article Title."

1. Zondervan Encyclopedia of the Bible, s.v. "Mary Mother of Jesus."

2. Zondervan Dictionary of Biblical Imagery, s.v. "Shepherd."

Bibliography Authors Name. "Article Title." In Title of Dictionary, edited by Editor, vol. #, pages, Publisher City: Publisher, Date.

"Shepherd." In Zondervan Dictionary of Biblical Imagery, edited by Jack Beck, 235-237, Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2011.

Stewart, Don G. "Mary, Mother of Jesus." In The Zondervan Enecylopedia of the Bible, edited by Moisés Silva, 116-122, Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2009.

Where to Go Next

Need more information about the verse that you found? Use a commentary.

students reading in front of periodical display

Also known as peer-reviewed articles, scholarly articles are sources that are:

  • written by experts in the field
  • reviewed by other experts in the field (hence the peer-reviewed)
  • intended for an academic audience

While you can find scholarly articles through general search engines, databases contain a feature where you can narrow your results to only scholarly articles.

Find Subject-Specific Articles:

Find Articles in Multidisciplinary Databases:

If you find an article or book that you can't access, don't pay for it! Instead, submit an Interlibrary Loan request, and you'll receive articles within a few days!

Are you looking for a specific article, like an article that you found referenced in a bibliography? Search for the journal in Journal Finder, linked below: