Chapters and Verses: How to Read a Reference Like "John 3:16"

You often come across expressions like "John 3:16," but for first-time readers the numbers can be confusing. In fact this is a simple, handy address system that lets you find a verse quickly. This page explains, practically, the Bible's book, chapter and verse structure, how to read a reference and how you can reach a verse on this site.

What are book, chapter and verse?

The Bible has a three-layer structure. At the top are books (for example John, Psalms, Genesis). Each book is divided into chapters, and each chapter into verses, which are short segments. This arrangement makes it easy to describe a specific place within a large text: the book name says which book it is, and the chapter and verse numbers show where in that book.

What does "John 3:16" mean?

A reference is usually written in the form "Book Chapter:Verse." In "John 3:16," "John" is the book name, "3" is the chapter number and ":16" is the verse number within that chapter. So this reference points to the 16th verse of the 3rd chapter of the book of John. The colon (:) separates the chapter from the verse; in some styles a period is used instead ("John 3.16").

Verse ranges and abbreviations

Sometimes not a single verse but several consecutive verses are cited together. In that case a hyphen is used: "1 Corinthians 13:4-7" covers verses 4 to 7 of the 13th chapter of 1 Corinthians. Book names are also often abbreviated; for example "Gen" for Genesis or "Ps" for Psalms. Some books have a number in front ("1 Corinthians," "2 Timothy"); this number distinguishes several books that share the same name.

When were chapter and verse numbers added?

Chapter and verse numbers are not an original part of the text. When the Bible was first written these numbers did not exist; they were added much later, over the centuries, so that a specific place could be referred to easily. Today this system is shared worldwide, so the same verse can be pointed to reliably across different translations and editions. In other words, although the numbers are not as old as the text itself, they make reading and sharing far easier.

How do I find a verse on this site?

On this site you can reach a verse in several ways. You can choose the book and chapter from the index and read it, or type a reference such as "John 3:16" directly on the search page to go to the relevant chapter. In addition, verse references appearing in blog posts and announcements are clickable; when you tap one, that verse opens in a small pop-up, so you can look at the verse without leaving the article you are reading.

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Guides

What does John 3:16 mean?

"John 3:16" is an address: the 16th verse of the 3rd chapter of the book of John. "John" is the book name, "3" is the chapter and "16" is the verse number.

What does the colon in a verse reference mean?

The colon (:) separates the chapter number from the verse number. In "3:16" the left number is the chapter and the right number is the verse. Some styles use a period instead of a colon.

How is a verse range written?

Consecutive verses are shown with a hyphen. For example, "1 Corinthians 13:4-7" covers verses 4 to 7 of chapter 13.

What does the number in front of a book name mean?

The number in front of names like "1 Corinthians" or "2 Timothy" distinguishes several books that share the same name — such as the first and second letter. It concerns the order, not the content, of the book.

How do I open a verse on this site?

You can choose the chapter from the book index, type a reference such as "John 3:16" on the search page, or tap the clickable verse references in blog posts to open the verse in a pop-up.