Submission Guidelines
Bibliotheca Sacra (Bib Sac) accepts manuscripts submitted as Word document attachments sent
to [email protected]. Please remove identifying information from within the article. Bib Sac form
and style follow The Chicago Manual of Style, 17th ed.(Chicago: University of Chicago Press,
2017). For technical matters not treated in CMS, consult The SBL Handbook of Style (Peabody,
MA: Hendrickson, 2014).
Abstract
Please include, at the beginning of the article, a short abstract of approximately 80 words.
Abbreviations
Do not use abbreviations in running text; save them for parenthetical references. This includes
names of Bible books, as well as common abbreviations such as “e.g.” (the words “for example”
are preferable in running text). Provide complete citations of books, no matter how well known
they are (i.e., the abbreviations BDAG, HALOT, etc., should not be used). Use “cf.” in
parentheses to mean “compare,” but not “see.” Do not use “p./pp.” for “page(s),” or “f./ff.” for
“following.” Give precise page or verse numbers instead of “f./ff.”
Final Explanation
Please answer this question at the end of your article: So What? Good research means good
reading and results in good application. Succinctly describe what it is that you want our readers
to grasp or gain from your article.
Headings
First-level headings are centered and in small caps. Second-level headings are flush left and in all
caps. Third-level headings are indented, italicized, followed by a period, and part of the
paragraph that follows.
Hebrew and Greek
Please include Hebrew and Greek (Unicode) where necessary, and not transliteration. Include
vowel points for Hebrew and accents and breathing marks for Greek.
Hyphens and Dashes
Hyphens separate the elements in certain adjectival and nominal compounds: self-centered;
proto-Semitic; forty-one. En dashes are used for inclusive numbers (Scripture: Luke 1:1–4; John
2:23-3:2; and pages: 87–91; 256–59; 322–37), and for successive months (April–June). See CMS
9.61. Em dashes are used, without a space on either side, to indicate a major break: “The
influence of three individuals—Wellhausen, Kümmel, and Barth—is evident in this literature.”
Notes
When citing a work for the first time, include publication data (city, publisher, date) and, if
appropriate, editor and translator of the work. Use postal abbreviations for states, and shortened
names of publishers: Paul Althaus, The Theology of Martin Luther, trans. Robert C. Schultz, rev.
ed. (Philadelphia: Fortress, 1966), 265. When referring to a work previously cited (if other works
intervene), include the author’s last name, the full title of the work (omit subtitle, if any), and the
page reference: Althaus, The Theology of Martin Luther, 270. Bib Sac follows CMS for footnote
citations. Spell out journal names: Journal of Biblical Literature, not JBL. For other footnote
details, see a recent issue of Bib Sac. A citation of a quote or material within a footnote should be
placed as follows:
First occurrence of source: “The narrative is rather bare.” Allen P. Ross, Creation and Blessing:
A Guide to the Study of Exposition of Genesis (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1996), 508.
Subsequent occurrence: “The narrative is rather bare” (Ross, Creation and Blessing, 508).
Ordering of Material
When citing multiple works in footnotes, list them in chronological order or in alphabetical order
as appropriate to the purpose of the citation. Multiple Scripture references should ordinarily be in
canonical order.
Pronouns
As a rule, avoid using first- or second-person pronouns (nominal or possessive), and do not
include reader instruction that implies the second person (as in “Note the following . . .”).
Pronouns referring to God/Jesus/the Spirit are not capitalized.
Text Formatting
For emphasis, use italics sparingly. Do not use boldfaced type. Do not use any other “hidden”
formatting, such as “Track Changes,” templates, personalized styles, etc. These should be
deleted before the manuscript is submitted.
Verb Forms
Use past-tense verbs rather than present-tense verbs when referring to past events: “Jesus
walked” (not “Jesus walks”), “Paul wrote” (not “Paul writes”), “Martin Luther declared” (not
“Martin Luther declares”)
