In addition to clarifying, supplementing, and occasionally correcting the information in SBLHS 2, this blog will sometimes highlight a particular SBLHS 2 guideline, so that those who follow SBL Press style are well-acquainted with its standards and recommendations.

One helpful guideline relates to the use of “par.” and “//” in the citation of parallel texts. When should one use the abbreviation par. and when the symbol //? SBLHS 2 §8.2.2 provides a straightforward answer: use par. (or the plural parr.) to indicate the existence of parallel texts that you have not listed; use // between any parallel texts that you list. SBLHS offers several examples:

Matt 11:2–6 par. [one parallel text]

Matt 11:2–6 // Luke 7:18–23

Mark 6:32–44 parr. [multiple parallels]

Generally no punctuation appears between the verse number and par(r).; note also the use of a space before and after the // symbol.