Free academic citation tool

Free SBL Citation Generator

An SBL citation generator turns source details into footnotes and bibliography entries formatted in Society of Biblical Literature style, as described in The SBL Handbook of Style, 2nd edition. This browser-only tool covers books, chapters, journal articles, websites, and biblical commentaries with no sign-in.

Generate an SBL CitationCheck a Citation

Build an SBL Citation

Output updates as you type. Nothing leaves your browser.

Required for this source: Author, editor, or organization, Title, Publisher, Year.

Recommended: Place of publication, Edition (if not the first), Series and number, Page locator for the note.

Enter one name per line (or separate with semicolons). Last, First is safest; suffixes like Jr. are kept.

Leave blank if a person is credited.

With no author, editors lead the citation (ed./eds.). With an author, they follow the title.

Use headline-style capitalization. Quotation marks and italics are applied for you.

Leave blank for a first edition.

SBL series abbreviation.

Any form works: 10.…, doi:10.…, or a doi.org link.

Used only when there is no DOI.

Ranges become en dashes and are shortened (311–43).

Overrides the automatic short title in the shortened footnote.

SBL method

How to create an SBL citation

  1. 01

    Choose a book, chapter, journal article, website, or biblical commentary.

  2. 02

    Enter authors one per line, plus the title, publication, and series details you have.

  3. 03

    Add the page you are citing so the footnotes point to the exact passage.

  4. 04

    Fill any required fields the checklist flags and compare the draft with the source.

  5. 05

    Copy the full footnote, shortened footnote, bibliography entry, or all three.

SBL Citation Generator FAQ

What is an SBL citation?

SBL style is the citation format described in The SBL Handbook of Style, widely used in biblical studies, religion, and ancient Near Eastern scholarship. It is a notes-bibliography system closely related to Chicago style.

How is SBL different from Chicago style?

SBL follows Chicago for most notes but adds field-specific conventions: abbreviated journal and series titles (JBL, WBC), “Pages 311–43 in” for chapters in bibliographies, and rules for ancient and biblical sources.

How do I cite a biblical commentary in SBL style?

Cite the commentator, the italicized commentary title, the series abbreviation and volume number, then the publication facts, e.g. Gordon J. Wenham, Genesis 1–15, WBC 1 (Waco, TX: Word, 1987), 22.

When should I use the shortened footnote?

Use the full footnote the first time you cite a source and the shortened footnote (surname, short title, page) for later references to the same source.

Is this generator official or guaranteed accurate?

No. It is an independent Lie Library tool, not affiliated with the Society of Biblical Literature. Treat every result as a draft and check it against the SBL Handbook of Style and your instructor or publisher.

Lie Library is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Society of Biblical Literature. Generated citations are drafts; verify every entry against the original source, The SBL Handbook of Style, and any instructor or publisher requirements.

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