Vetus Latina (Old Latin Bible) refers to “the large and very diverse collection of Latin biblical texts used by Christian communities from the second century” (Vetus Latina). In 1945, the Vetus Latina Institute in Beuron began work on a new scholarly edition of these texts based on the earlier work of Pierre Sabatier (d. 1742) and Josef Denk (d. 1927). The resulting publication, still in progress, is known as the Vetus Latina: Die Reste der altlateinischen Bibel.

The VLB is scheduled to contain twenty-seven volumes. Some volumes contain two or more parts, and all volumes and parts are being initially published in fascicle format. Thus a given volume’s publication will extend over a number of years. One should treat volumes as works in a series, using the abbreviation VLB (Vetus Latina Beuron) to indicate the series. When citing an entire volume, include the volume number (volume and part when appropriate, as immediately below), with the full range of publication years for that volume.

16. Roger Gryson, ed., Apocalypsis Johannis, VLB 26.2 (Freiburg im Breisgau: Herder, 2000–2003).

Gryson, Roger, ed. Apocalypsis Johannis. VLB 26.2. Freiburg im Breisgau: Herder, 2000–2003.

If you wish to reference a specific fascicle, include the volume number and the fascicle number, with the publication year of the fascicle:

16. Roger Gryson, ed., Apocalypsis Johannis, VLB 26.2.8 (Freiburg im Breisgau: Herder, 2003).

Gryson, Roger, ed., Apocalypsis Johannis. VLB 26.2.8. Freiburg im Breisgau: Herder, 2003.

Each page of the VLB is divided into three registers: an upper register that displays the surviving Old Latin variants; a middle register that displays a critical apparatus; and a lower register that records the forms of the words used in each source.

When citing an entire page, follow standard bibliographic format:

16. Roger Gryson, ed., Apocalypsis Johannis, VLB 26.2 (Freiburg im Breisgau: Herder, 2003), 625.

When citing a specific register on a page, include both the page number and a parenthetical notation that indicates the register.

16. Roger Gryson, ed., Apocalypsis Johannis, VLB 26.2 (Freiburg im Breisgau: Herder, 2003), 625 (upper).

18. Gryson, ed., Apocalypsis Johannis, 625 (middle).

20. Gryson, ed., Apocalypsis Johannis, 625 (lower).

A full list of published and planned volumes can be found here.