Bible Commentaries
Bible commentaries generally follow the same rules as other books. However, the bibliographic information for some of the most frequently cited Bible commentaries can sometimes be especially complex and confusing. Therefore, we treat them separately here.
Students should keep in mind that many commentaries are part of a series and or may have multiple volumes (see Turabian §17.1.4 and 17.1.5).
Typical Scenarios
Commentary - Single Volume (not part of a series)
Footnote Format
1 Forename Surname, Title of Book: Subtitle of Book (City, ST: Publisher Name, Year of Publication), ##.
2 Surname, Shortened Title, #.
Footnote Examples
1 Craig S. Keener, A Commentary on the Gospel of Matthew (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1999), 107.
2 Keener, Matthew, 500.
Bibliography Format
Surname, Forename. Title of Book: Subtitle of Book. City, ST: Publisher Name, Year of Publication.
Bibliography Example
Keener, Craig S. A Commentary on the Gospel of Matthew. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1999.
Commentary - Single Volume (part of a series)
The series title is not italicized. The volumes within some series are numbered (e.g., Word Biblical Commentary), while others are not numbered (e.g., Abington New Testament Commentaries). If the volumes in the series are numbered, you must include the volume number after the series title. Note also that if the book is not a first edition, the edition number is indicated immediately after the title of the book.
Note: Do not include “vol.” unless you include the series editor after the series title and before the volume number. Turabian requires that citations include the names of editors of individual books but not the names of series editors. Therefore, for the sake of simplicity, Tyndale encourages the omission of the name of the series editor.
Footnote Format
1 Forename Surname, Title of Book: Subtitle of Book, Series Title # (City, ST: Publisher Name, Year of Publication), ##.
2 Surname, Shortened Title, #.
Footnote Examples
1 Robert C. Tannehill, Luke, Abington New Testament Commentaries (Nashville, TN: Abington Press, 1996), 87.
2 Tannehill, Luke, 34.
3 Richard Bauckham, Jude, 2 Peter, Word Biblical Commentary 50 (Waco, TX: Word, 1983), 33.
4 Bauckham, Jude, 2 Peter, 220.
5 Thomas R. Schreiner, Romans, 2nd ed., Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2018), 500.
Bibliography Format
Surname, Forename. Title of Book: Subtitle of Book. Series Title #. City, ST: Publisher Name, Year of Publication.
Bibliography Examples
Bauckham, Richard. Jude, 2 Peter. Word Biblical Commentary 50. Waco, TX: Word, 1983.
Schreiner, Thomas R. Romans. 2nd ed. Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2018.
Tannehill, Robert C. Luke. Abington New Testament Commentaries. Nashville, TN: Abington Press, 1996.
Commentary: Individually Titled Volume of a Multivolume Work
Turabian lists the title of the multivolume work as a whole first, followed by the individual volume title.
The format below assumes the edited collection is part of a numbered series. If the series is not numbered, omit the number. If it is not part of a series, then omit the series title and series number as in the example below.
Note: Zotero is currently not able to handle this type of reference.
Footnote Format
1 Forename Surname, Title of Multivolume Work: Subtitle of Multivolume Work, vol. #, Title of Individual Volume: Subtitle of Individual Volume, Series Title # (City, ST: Publisher Name, Year of Publication), #:##.
2 Surname, Individual Volume Short Title, ##.
Footnote Examples
1 Craig S. Keener, Acts: An Exegetical Commentary, vol. 1, Introduction and Acts 1:1-2:47 (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2012), 57.
2 Keener, Introduction and Acts 1:1-2:47, 231.
Bibliography Format
Surname, Forename. Title of Multivolume Work: Subtitle of Multivolume Work. Vol. #, Title of Individual Volume: Subtitle of Individual Volume. City, ST: Publisher Name, Year of Publication.
Bibliography Example
Keener, Craig S. Acts: An Exegetical Commentary. Vol. 1, Introduction and Acts 1:1-2:47. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2012.
Commentary: Individual Untitled Volume of a Multivolume Work (part of a series)
Footnote Format
In the footnotes, since the volume is not individually titled, you must specify the individual volume number followed by a colon and then the page number(s).
1 Forename Surname, Title of Multivolume Work: Subtitle of Multivolume Work, Series Title # (City, ST: Publisher Name, Year of Publication), #:##.
2 Surname, Short Title, #:##.
Footnote Examples
1 Joseph A. Fitzmyer, The Gospel According to Luke, Anchor Bible 28-28A (Garden City, NY: Doubleday, 1985), 1:35.
2 Fitzmyer, Luke, 2:1012.
3 C. K. Barrett, A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles, International Critical Commentary (London: T&T Clark, 1998), 2:705.
4 Barrett, Acts, 2:712.
Bibliography Format
NOTE: Turabian §17.1.4.1 requires you to list only individual volumes cited in the bibliography. At Tyndale, we prefer that you cite the multivolume work as a whole indicating the total number of volumes. If the individual volumes were not all published in the same year, you should provide the full range of years of publication, from the publication of the earliest volume to the publication of the most recent volume.
Surname, Forename. Title of Multivolume Work: Subtitle of Multivolume Work. # vols. Series Title #. City, ST: Publisher Name, Year of Publication.
Bibliography Example
Barrett, C. K. A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles. 2 vols. International Critical Commentary. London: T&T Clark, 1998.
Fitzmyer, Joseph A. The Gospel According to Luke. 2 vols. Anchor Bible 28-28A. Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, 1985.
Special Scenarios: Multiple Commentaries per Volume (EBC, NIB, NIBC)
Some multivolume commentaries (e.g., The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, The New Interpreter’s Bible, and The New Interpreters Bible Commentary) incorporate multiple commentaries, each written by a different author, within a single volume. Individual commentaries in these series must be treated as book chapters as in Turabian §17.1.8 but also following one of the multi-volume formats in Turabian §17.1.4.1. Combinations such as these are not illustrated in Turabian. The format differs based on whether the volumes are individually titled or not. See examples below.
New Interpreter's Bible
Be careful to distinguish between The New Interpreter's Bible (published in 12 volumes in 1994) from The New Interpreter's Bible Commentary (published 10 volumes in 2015).
Footnote Format
1 Forename Surname, “Title of Commentary: Subtitle of Commentary,” in The New Interpreter's Bible (City, ST: Publisher Name: Year of Publication), ##.
2 Surname, “Short Title,” ##.
Footnote Examples
1 Terence E. Fretheim, “The Book of Genesis: Introduction, Commentary, and Reflections,” New Interpreter’s Bible (Nashville, TN: Abingdon, 1994), 1:422-23.
2 Fretheim, “Genesis,” 1:423.
Bibliography Format
Surname, Forename. “Title of Essay: Subtitle of Essay.” In Title of Book: Subtitle of Book. 12 vols. City, ST: Publisher Name: Year of Publication.
Bibliography Example
Fretheim, Terence E. “The Book of Genesis: Introduction, Commentary, and Reflections.” New Interpreter’s Bible. 12 vols. Nashville, TN: Abingdon, 1994. 1:319-674.
New Interpreter's Bible Commentary
Be careful to distinguish between The New Interpreter's Bible (published in 12 volumes in 1994) from The New Interpreter's Bible Commentary (published 10 volumes in 2015).
Footnote Format
1 Forename Surname, “Title of Commentary: Subtitle of Commentary,” in Thew New Interpreter's Bible Commentary (City, ST: Publisher Name: Year of Publication), ##.
2 Surname, “Short Title,” ##.
Footnote Examples
1 N. T. Wright, “Romans,” The New Interpreter’s Bible Commentary (Nashville, TN: Abingdon, 2015), 9:422-23.
1 Wright, “Romans,” 9:425.
Bibliography Format
Surname, Forename. “Title of Essay: Subtitle of Essay.” In The New Interpreter's Bible Commentary. 12 vols. City, ST: Publisher Name: Year of Publication.
Bibliography Example
Wright, N. T. “Romans.” The New Interpreter’s Bible Commentary. 10 vols. Nashville, TN: Abingdon, 2015. 9:315-664.
Expositor's Bible Commentary
Footnote Format
1 Forename Surname, “Title of Commentary: Subtitle of Commentary,” in The Expositor's Bible Commentary, vol. #, Volume Title, ed. Frank E. Gæbelein, (City, ST: Publisher Name: Year of Publication), ##.
2 Surname, “Short Title,” ##.
Footnote Examples
1 Richard N. Longenecker, “Acts,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary with the New International Version, vol 9, John and Acts, ed. Frank E. Gæbelein (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1981), 432-33.
2 Longenecker, “Acts,” 430.
Bibliography Format
Surname, Forename. “Title of Commentary: Subtitle of Commentary.” In The Expositor's Bible Commentary with the New International Version. Vol. 9. Volume Title, edited by Frank E. Gæbelein, ##-##. Series Title # (City, ST: Publisher Name: Year of Publication).
Bibliography Examples
Longenecker, Richard N. “Acts.” In The Expositor’s Bible Commentary with the New International Version. Vol. 9, John and Acts. Edited by Frank E. Gæbelein. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1981. 205-573.
Other Special Cases
Mathew Henry's Commentary
Please note. This commentary is outdated. It was written over 300 years ago. It should never be cited as a modern scholarly commentary. Rather it should be treated as one would treat a church father like John Calvin, the only difference being that English is the original language. Generally speaking, it is more useful as a resource for church history than it is for biblical studies.
However, if you find a rare insight in it that you want to discuss, then cite it and make sure that
you indicate the version cited (e.g., the complete version or the abridged version).
if you are citing a print version, follow the rules for reprints.
if you are citing an online version, make sure you include the specific url for the chapter and or verse covered and the date of access.
General Sequence of Information for Books
Author(s)
Title (If multivolume, then
a. Multivolume Title
b. Individual Volume Number
c. Individual Volume Title)
Editor(s) (if edited, list only book editor, not series editor)
Translator(s) (if translated)
Edition (only if not first edition)
Series Title (only if part of a series
Number in Series (only if part of a numbered series; not to be confused with volume number in multivolume book)
Facts of Publication (City: Publisher, Date)