SBL Citation Generator
Generate accurate SBL footnotes and bibliographies instantly
Tool Access see who can use this tool
How to Use
Select your source type
Choose from book, journal article, book chapter, website, ancient text, or dictionary entry.
Enter source details
Fill in the author, title, publisher, year, page numbers, and any other relevant fields. Only author and title are required.
Get your citation
Choose footnote only, bibliography only, or both — and receive a ready-to-paste SBL citation formatted to the 2nd edition standard.
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Key Features
All Source Types Covered
Books, journal articles, book chapters, websites, ancient texts, and dictionary entries — each formatted with the correct SBL rules for that source type.
Footnote + Bibliography
Get both the full first footnote and the bibliography entry in one click, or request just the shortened subsequent footnote when you need it.
SBL 2nd Edition Accuracy
Citations follow the SBL Handbook of Style, 2nd edition (2014), the standard for biblical studies, ancient Near Eastern studies, and early Christian scholarship.
Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to your questions
What is SBL citation style?
SBL (Society of Biblical Literature) citation style is a formatting standard used in biblical studies, ancient Near Eastern studies, and early Christian scholarship. It uses footnotes for in-text references and a bibliography at the end of the paper. The style is derived from the Chicago Manual of Style and is defined in the SBL Handbook of Style, 2nd edition (2014). Unlike author-date styles such as APA, SBL places full citation information in the first footnote and uses shortened forms for subsequent references to the same source.
How do I generate an SBL citation?
Select your source type (book, article, website, etc.), enter the author name, title, publisher, year, and page numbers in the form fields, then choose whether you need a footnote, bibliography, or both. The generator returns a formatted SBL citation you can copy directly into your paper. For journal articles, also fill in the journal name and volume/issue fields. For websites, include the URL and access date.
Is this SBL citation generator free?
Yes, fully free. No subscription, no account, and no download required. Enter your source details and generate citations directly in your browser. Guest users receive 3 free citations; free accounts receive additional daily uses with no charge.
How many source types does it support?
Six source types are supported: book, journal article, book chapter or essay in an edited volume, website or online article, ancient text or classical source, and dictionary or encyclopedia entry. These cover the most common citation needs in biblical and theological studies, including citing resources like BDAG, ABD, TDNT, and Dead Sea Scroll texts.
Do I need an account to use it?
No account is needed. Open the tool, fill in the source details, and get your citation immediately. Creating a free account increases your daily citation limit if you plan to use the tool regularly for longer writing projects.
What is the difference between a footnote and bibliography in SBL?
In SBL style, the footnote (at the bottom of the page) gives the full citation on first use, starting with the author's first name: e.g., John H. Walton, *The Lost World of Genesis One* (Downers Grove: IVP Academic, 2009), 45. The bibliography entry at the end of the paper inverts the author name and removes specific page numbers: Walton, John H. *The Lost World of Genesis One*. Downers Grove: IVP Academic, 2009. Subsequent footnotes use a shortened form: Walton, *Lost World*, 45.
Can it generate subsequent (shortened) footnotes?
Yes. Select 'Subsequent (Shortened) Footnote' from the citation format dropdown. A subsequent SBL footnote uses the author's last name, a shortened title, and the page number — for example: Walton, *Lost World*, 67. The generator applies this shortened format automatically based on the source type and title you provided.
Does it support citing ancient texts like the LXX or Dead Sea Scrolls?
Yes. Select 'Ancient Text / Classical Source' as the source type. SBL has specific conventions for citing ancient texts, patristic sources, and classical literature, including standard abbreviations. Enter the text name, standard abbreviation (if applicable), and the relevant section or passage reference. The generator formats these according to SBL 2nd edition guidelines for primary sources.
Can I cite a book chapter or essay in an edited volume?
Yes. Select 'Book Chapter / Essay in Edited Volume.' Enter the essay author, essay title, the book title, and the editor's name in the Editor/Translator field (prefaced with 'Ed.'). Include the publisher, place, year, and pages. The generator produces both a correctly structured footnote and bibliography entry distinguishing the chapter author from the volume editor, following SBL rules for contributed chapters.
Which edition of the SBL Handbook does this follow?
Citations follow the SBL Handbook of Style, 2nd edition (2014), published by the Society of Biblical Literature. This is the current standard required by SBL journals such as the Journal of Biblical Literature (JBL) and Catholic Biblical Quarterly (CBQ). The 2nd edition replaced the 1st edition (1999) and introduced updated guidelines for electronic sources and social-media citations.
What if I have multiple authors?
Enter multiple authors separated by semicolons in the Author(s) field — for example: 'John Smith; Jane Doe; Mark Brown.' For two authors, the citation reads 'First Author and Second Author.' For three or more authors in a footnote, SBL uses the first author's name followed by 'et al.' In the bibliography, all authors are listed in full. The generator handles both cases automatically.
Does it support citing dictionaries and theological lexicons like BDAG?
Yes. Select 'Dictionary / Encyclopedia Entry.' Enter the entry title (as the 'Title'), the dictionary or lexicon name (as the 'Journal Name' or 'Publisher' field as relevant), the editor, place, publisher, year, and the specific entry or page. SBL has special formatting rules for reference works like BDAG, ABD (Anchor Bible Dictionary), and TDNT, which the generator applies automatically for this source type.
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