Good (latex) package for typesetting bible quotations?

Question

I'm in the market for a good package for typesetting quotations from the bible. Got any suggestions?

Answer 1

I eventually ended up using bibleref, verse, and attrib like so:

\documentclass{article}

\usepackage{attrib}
\def\PreTrib{} \def\PostTrib{} % We'll do our own parens, thanks!

\usepackage{verse}
\usepackage{bibleref}

% Custom macros
\def\V#1 {\(^{#1}\)}
\def\vattrib#1#2{\attrib{(\bibleverse{#1}#2)}}

\begin{document}

\begin{verse}
  \begin{altverse}
    \V{9}
    Who can say, I have made my heart clean, \\
    I am pure from my sin?
  \end{altverse}
  \vattrib{Proverbs}{(20:9)}

  \V{9}
  The heart is deceitful above all things, \\
  \vin and desperately wicked: \\
  \vin who can know it?
  \vattrib{Jeremiah}{(17:9)}
\end{verse}

\end{document}

I'm not quite happy with the the vertical alignment of the verse numbers, though: I'd prefer them to be flush with the capital letters at the top, but I don't think that tfm includes the necessary font metrics to do this right.

Answer 2

The bibleref package could be an option.

Answer 3

I just wanted to share some nice projects that together can accomplish your purpose in a very neat way.

• biblequote: It will automatically allows you to include the content of a verse, see an example bellow. Note that it requires a patched version of Diatheke, hopefully the patch will be merged into Diatheke soon.
• diatheke: An application from the SWORD project that allows to query the bible on the console.
• Of course bibleref, already cited.

An example of biblequote use:

\documentclass{article}

\usepackage{bibleref}
\usepackage{biblequote}

\begin{document}

As it is said in \bibleverse{Jn}(3:16-17):

\begin{quote}
  \biblequote{Jn}{3:16-17}{KJV}
\end{quote}

\end{document}

You could also include this within a macro for custom style settings.

I hope it helps.

Answer 4

I've released the scripture which is designed for typesetting Bible quotations.

The package provides many features commonly seen in Bibles such as dropped text for chapter numbers, superscripts for verse numbers, indented lines for poetry sections, narrow sections and hanging paragraphs.

A simple section of the Bible can be produced as follows:

\documentclass[twocolumn,b5paper]{article}
\pagestyle{empty}
\usepackage{scripture}
\scripturesetup{
  font=\small,
  version=NIVUK
}
\begin{document}
\begin{scripture}[Isaiah 56:1--2]
  \ch{56}This is what the \name{Lord} says:

  \begin{poetry}
    ‘Maintain justice
    and do what is right,

    for my salvation is close at hand
    and my righteousness will soon be revealed.

    \vs{2}Blessed is the one who does this---
    the person who holds it fast,

    who keeps the Sabbath without desecrating it,
    and keeps their hands from doing any evil.’
  \end{poetry}
\end{scripture}
\end{document}