Where an essay cites biblical texts or other ancient primary sources, footnotes should not be used. Rather, such references should be included in parentheses in abbreviated form within the final punctuation of a sentence. If the translation of the passage is significant, an abbreviated reference in small caps should be included also. Thus: 

It was Paul's knowledge of such Christian claims that made him a persecutor of the church (Gal 1:13; 1 Cor 15:9). 

By the words, “those, I say, who were of repute added nothing to me” (Gal 2:6b RSV), he does not mean that they imparted no tradition to him. 

The standard abbreviations for biblical books and other ancient sources are listed in SBLHS §8.3. Abbreviations for books of the Old Testament, New Testament, Apocrypha, and Septuagint are not italicised and are not followed by full stops. The most significant abbreviations can be found online: http://www.viceregency.com/Abbrev.htm 

The standard abbreviated names of biblical books should also be used elsewhere in an essay, except at the beginning of a sentence or where they are cited without chapter number. „First‟, „Second‟ or „Third‟ are used at the beginning of a sentence with certain biblical books. Here are some examples: 

First Corinthians 6:18b presents a number of exegetically knotty problems. 

The author of 1 Peter writes to first-century Christians of Asia Minor, encouraging them as they face various griefs and sufferings for the name of Christ. 

This interpretation of the word does not work in Rom 12:1, its only other New Testament occurrence. 

Note also that the word „verse‟ is abbreviated to v. not vs. Similarly, „verses‟ is vv. not vss.