Should the word Bible be capitalized?

Question

I have a religion teacher who seems to think so but spell check doesn't pick it up.

Answer 1

That is because it may not be necessary to capitalize the word if it is referring to a book other than the Holy Bible or Holy Scriptures. The word bible means any book, reference work, periodical, etc., accepted as authoritative, informative, or reliable. If you are using the word to describe another book you would not capitalize it. Think of it this way: The title of any book would be capitalized. The title of that book is Bible so you would capitalize it.

Answer 2

It depends on the situation.

When referring to the religious text, the Holy Bible, then yes you should capitalize it. Example: "My parents read an exerpt from the Bible every night, after bed." In this sentence, the use of the word "Bible" literally means the actual Holy Bible (or a copy of it or a different edition of it).

However, when you use it as a noun that isn't a reference to the religious text, then no, it does not need capitalization. Example: "I read The Great Gatsby at least four times a year. It is practically my bible, now."

This concept is very similar to the way we use the terms "Earth" and "earth." Our planet's name is "Earth" so we capitalize it because it is a proper noun, like any other name of a person or place. However, when we talk about "earth" as in, "He took a shovel and dug into the earth." then it doesn't need capitalization because earth isn't being used as a proper noun.

Answer 3

Since Bible is the specific name of a holy book, it is a proper noun and should therefore be capitalized. If spell check disagrees, simply click the "Add" button and it will add the word to spell check so it doesn't mark it wrong in the future.

Answer 4

It certainly should be. It is a title of a book and titles should always be capitalized. I have found that spell check does not pick everything up so learn to rely on your instincts. Take care.

Answer 5

If you're talking about the Christian bible, only if you are saying "The Bible" or other variations. But the word bible doesn't always need to be, like when you're talking about other religions' bibles, as in "the Koran is the Muslim bible."

Answer 6

Yes it should, out of respect. I am a Bible student and I always capitalize it.

Answer 7

Capitalize “Bible” and “Scripture”, but DO NOT capitalize their respective adjectives, “scriptural” and “biblical”.


Capitalize titles of biblical books (Genesis, 1 Kings), divisions of the Bible (Pentateuch, Synoptic Gospels), and sections or parts within books (Passion Narrative, Gradual Psalms, Penitential Psalms).



Always capitalize “Gospel” when the reference is to one of the four canonical Gospels, even when the Gospel in question is specified, as with “Mark’s Gospel.”



When referring to New Testament letters use capitals. Examples:

Epistle / Letter to the Romans

Second Corinthians



These rules admit of two exceptions:



1. The designations “book” (book of Job) and “parable” (parable of the talents) are not capitalized.



2. References to genres of biblical literature or to the psalms in general (as opposed to the book of Psalms) should not be capitalized. Examples include: “these psalms are powerful witnesses to . . .”; “Questions were
raised to the Consilium concerning how many psalms should be in the Office”; “the epistles of the New Testament”; “the apocryphal gospel of Peter”.

Theological, liturgical, and devotional terms


In general, authors should capitalize the designation of liturgical books. Examples:

Roman Missal
Roman Ritual
Gelasian Sacramentary
Pontifical of Mainz



Capitalize theological appellations. Examples: Messiah, Son of God, Third Person of the Trinity, Mediatrix.



Terms denoting biblical and other religious events and religious concepts of major theological importance may be capitalized or not, depending upon the discretion of the author and provided consistency is achieved. Examples:

Creation / creation
Day of Judgment / day of judgment
Nativity of Christ / nativity of Christ
the Exodus / the exodus



All references to feasts, solemnities, memorials, etc. of the Church, however, must be capitalized even when they are also biblical events. Examples:

Baptism of the Lord
Nativity of Mary



Capitalize names or titles referring to the eucharistic rite or the sacrament itself. Examples:

Mass
High Mass
Divine Liturgy
Holy Communion
Liturgy of the Lord’s Supper
Precious Blood
Eucharist
Body and Blood of the Lord
Sacred Species



DO NOT capitalize adjectives referring to the sacrament, such as “eucharistic”.



Non-eucharistic religious services and sacraments are not capitalized. Examples include prime, terce, morning prayer, baptism, confirmation, marriage, holy orders, sacraments, seder, bar mitzvah.



Religious objects are lowercase. Examples include holy water, phylacteries, rosary, sanctuary, stations of the cross, relic of the true cross.

“Church” should be capitalized whenever the author is referring to the Catholic Church in general. However, when a particular edifice is in question, “church” should be written with lowercase.

Answer 8

No but I think Holy Bible should. Other books are called bible also.

Answer 9

yes, the word bible should be capitalized.

Answer 10

I'd say yes if it's at the beginning of the sentence-- but other than that no ....its not like God which you always capitalize no matter what.