Abbreviations for Biblical Books and Nonbiblical Literature

Old Testament

Gen Genesis
Exod Exodus
Lev Leviticus
Num Numbers
Deut Deuteronomy
Josh Joshua
Judg Judges
Ruth Ruth
1 Sam 1 Samuel
2 Sam 2 Samuel
1 Kgs 1 Kings
2 Kgs 2 Kings
1 Chr 1 Chronicles
2 Chr 2 Chronicles
Ezra Ezra
Neh Nehemiah
Esth Esther
Job Job
Ps(s) Psalms
Prov Proverbs
Eccl Ecclesiastes
Song Song of Songs
Isa Isaiah
Jer Jeremiah
Lam Lamentations
Ezek Ezekiel
Dan Daniel
Hos Hosea
Joel Joel
Amos Amos
Obad Obadiah
Jonah Jonah
Mic Micah
Nah Nahum
Hab Habakkuk
Zeph Zephaniah
Hag Haggai
Zech Zechariah
Mal Malachi

Books of the Old Testament Apocrypha

Bar Baruch
Add Dan Additions to Daniel
Pr Azar Prayer of Azariah
Bel Bel and the Dragon
Sg Three Song of the Three Young Men
Sus Susanna
1-2 Esd 1-2 Esdras
Add Esth Additions to Esther
Ep Jer Epistle of Jeremiah
Jdt Judith
1-4 Macc 1-4 Maccabees
Pr Man Prayer of Manasseh
Ps 151 Psalm 151
Sir Sirach/ Ecclesiasticus
Tob Tobit
Wis Wisdom of Solomon

New Testament

Matt Matthew
Mark Mark
Luke Luke
John John
Acts Acts
Rom Romans
1 Cor 1 Corinthians
2 Cor 2 Corinthians
Gal Galatians
Eph Ephesians
Phil Philippians
Col Colossians
1 Thess 1 Thessalonians
2 Thess 2 Thessalonians
1 Tim 1 Timothy
2 Tim 2 Timothy
Titus Titus
Phlm Philemon
Heb Hebrews
Jas James
1 Pet 1 Peter
2 Pet 2 Peter
1 John 1 John
2 John 2 John
3 John 3 John
Jude Jude
Rev Revelation

Other Ancient Documents

Two citation systems for Philo and Josephus are used in the notes. The older (classical) system is listed first, and the Loeb citation system then follows in parentheses.

1 En. 1 Enoch, a Jewish pseudepigraphic work that includes what are thought to be Christian interpolations in chaps. 37-71 (also called Ethiopic Enoch)
1 Kgdms 1 Kingdoms, the book of the LXX which corresponds to 1 Samuel
1QH Thanksgiving Hymns, hymns composed for worship within the Qumran community
1QS Rule of the Community, one of the first Dead Sea Scrolls recovered. This scroll details rules for admission into the Qumran community.
2 Bar. 2 Baruch, a Jewish apocalyptic work written early in the second century
2 En. 2 Enoch, an Jewish pseudepigraphic work that expands upon Gen 5:21-32
4QMMT Miqsat Maàaseh Torah from Qumran Cave 4, one of the Dead Sea Scrolls
Ag. Ap. Against Apion, a defense of the Jewish people written by Josephus, a Jewish historian who lived from a.d. 37/38 until the early years of the second century.
Ant. Jewish Antiquities, a history of the Jewish people written by Josephus (see Ag. Ap. above)
b. Indicates a tractate from the Babylonian Talmud, which contains the Mishnah and rabbinic interpretive expansions. Collected ca. a.d. 500-550.
CD A copy of the Damascus Document, which is one of the Dead Sea Scrolls, found in the Cairo genizah
Embassy On the Embassy to Gaius, a philosophical work by Philo, a Jewish philosopher who lived from 20 b.c. to a.d. 50
Praep. Ev. Praeparatio evangelica (Preparation for the Gospel), a work by Eusebius, bishop of Caesarea in Palestine, who lived ca. a.d. 260-341
Flaccus Against Flaccus, a philosophical work by Philo (see Embassy above)
Heir Who is the Heir?, a philosophical work by Philo (see Embassy above)
Herm. Shepherd of Hermas, a Christian work written in Rome sometime during the 1st and 2nd centuries a.d.
Ibn Ezra Rabbi Abraham Ibn Ezra, a medieval Jewish scholar who wrote many works, including a commentary on the Hebrew Bible. Lived a.d. 1092/1093 to a.d.1167.
Ign. Ignatius, Bishop of Antioch, who died as a martyr in Rome early in the second century. Following will be the abbreviation for one of his seven letters.
J. W. Jewish War, a history of the events surrounding the war between Rome and the Jews ca. a.d. 70 written by Josephus (see Ag. Ap. above)
Jub. Jubilees, a Jewish pseudepigraphic work that expands upon the narratives in Genesis and Exodus
Letter of Aristeas An ancient letter which purports to explain the origins of the LXX. Posited by most scholars to have been written ca. 170 b.c.
Life The Life, an autobiography of Josephus (see Ag. Ap. above)
m. Indicates a tractate from the Mishnah, a codification of Jewish rabbinic oral tradition collected ca. a.d. 200-220

Pirqe Avot A collection of the sayings from Jewish sages and rabbis
Pirqe Rabbi Eliezer A collection of Jewish rabbinic tradition compiled ca. a.d. 750-850
Posterity On the Posterity of Cain, a philosophical work by Philo (see Embassy above)
Rabbah Jewish rabbinic commentary on books of the Bible, e.g., Genesis Rabbah
Sib. Or. Sibylline Oracles, a collection of poetic prophecies contained within the Jewish pseudepigrapha
Sifre Deut Sifre on Deuteronomy, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the book of Deuteronomy compiled ca. a.d. 350-400
Smr Samaritan Pentateuch, the version of the first five books of the Old Testament accepted as canonical by the Samaritans
t. Indicates a tractate from the Tosefta, a codification of Jewish rabbinic oral tradition collected ca. a.d. 220-230
T. Gad Testament of Gad, one of the Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs, a group of works written between 109 and 106 b.c. and inspired by Jacob's testament in Gen 49
T. Reu. Testament of Reuben, one of the Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs (see T. Gad above)
T. Sol. Testament of Solomon, a story about Solomon building the Temple, written sometime during the 1st to 3rd centuries a.d.
Tg. Indicates a Targum, an Aramaic translation of the Hebrew Bible which often included interpretive comments
Tg. Onq. Targum Onqelos, an Aramaic translation of the Pentateuch, regarded as the official targum of these books
Tg. Ps.-J. Targum Pseudo-Jonathan, an Aramaic translation of the Pentateuch
y. Indicates a tractate from the Jerusalem Talmud (which actually took shape in Galilee ca. a.d. 400-425), a work which contains the Mishnah and rabbinic interpretive expansions