Bible Quizzing is a Christian sport in which teams of participants compete on Bible memorization in a context that requires a combination of speed, accuracy, and strategy and a culture that inspires collaboration, fellowship, and mutual encouragement. Bible Quizzing competitions, called meets, consist of a series of quizzes. Meets are grouped into quiz seasons, which typically run from late summer or early fall through late spring or early summer.
This is the official rule book for Bible Quizzing, which represents what will be followed at the annual International Bible Quizzing (IBQ) championship meet at the end of a quiz season. It is also a recommendational document for Quizzing districts and any other organizations interested in Bible Quizzing. These districts and other organizations retain the right to set and enforce their own rules using whatever mechanisms they deem most appropriate.
You can download this document from:
https://github.com/gryphonshafer/Quizzing-Rule-Book/releases/download/5446867/rule_book_min.html
Bible Quizzing meets consist of a series of quizzes, which themselves consist of a series of questions. Questions are written based on a quiz season's material. Material refers to the Scriptural scope of content set for each season. The Bible edition used is the New International Version (NIV) 2011 edition of the Bible. There is an 8-season rotation of material. 4 are defined as "Narrative" and 4 are defined as "Epistle" in terms of a material's style.
| Season | Material Scope References | Style |
|---|---|---|
| 2020-2021 | Matthew 1:18-25, 2-12, 14-22, 26-28 | Narrative |
| 2021-2022 | Romans, James | Epistle |
| 2022-2023 | Acts 1-20 | Narrative |
| 2023-2024 | Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians | Epistle |
| 2024-2025 | Luke 1-3:23, 9-11, 13-19, 21-24 | Narrative |
| 2025-2026 | 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians | Epistle |
| 2026-2027 | John | Narrative |
| 2027-2028 | Hebrews, 1 Peter, 2 Peter | Epistle |
Interrogative words are the single interrogative word that must be inserted at either the beginning or the end of every question text requiring such. Question type groups that require interrogative words are:
The exhaustive list of interrogative words is:
Context is a range of verses from the question's reference. Context is a concept primarily related to the answering of questions, but it needs to be considered when writing questions from the material. By default, context is limited to 5 verses before or after the reference; however, some question types have a different context, which is defined in the question type.
All questions must contain verbatim material.
The only exception to this is SIT type question quotations, which could potentially involve a single quotation, broken up by non-quotation words. This would result in the SIT quotation being written without the non-quotation words in the middle of the 2 quotations.
On some question types, the addition of a single, approved, interrogative word at the very beginning or very end is required.
Interrogative questions, also called standard, regular, normal, general, and straightforward questions:
In addition, an MA question is invalid if 1 of the listed answers to the multiple answer's questions is a "negative" answer. A "negative" answer is an answer used to contrast another answer or an answer that does not answer the question, such as an answer that begins with the words or similar words to "not" or "neither".
Reference question type group questions are used to distinguish between exact duplicate words or phrases from the material. The entire reference question is part of the required question and answer.
If a quizzer needs to provide the reference question, the provided reference question must:
Only the material is used, not the choice of interrogative word, when deciding whether a question is an INT versus CR versus CVR.
The question text should be in the form:
According to [book name], chapter [chapter number], verse [verse number], [remainder of question text]
The question text should be in the form:
According to [book name], chapter [chapter number], [remainder of question text]
Quote and finish questions must be quoted word-perfect. Quizzers may go back and correct their answers if done in the answering period. The quizzer will be required to make 1 full, correct rotation; however, the quizzer can be called correct without 1 full, correct rotation if they have made a mistake only in 1 area of the verse and correct the mistake, making it abundantly clear to the quizmaster and answer judge that they know where their mistake was and what the corrected words are.
Context is defined as the required verse, which is defined as the 1 or 2 verse range of the question, based on the question type.
The question text should be in the form:
Quote [book name], chapter [chapter number], verse [verse number].
Q2V is used when a verse is not strong enough on its own and needs another verse to explain it or can be used when 2 verses combine to form an even stronger thought.
The question text should be in the form:
Quote [book name], chapter [chapter number], verses [verse numbers].
If the quotation is split-up by non-quotation words, the quotation will be read without the non-quotation words. A SIT question can combine 2 separate quotations as long as no words are added and the 2 quotes flow easily from 1 to another. The quotation must be written excluding any non-quotation words in the middle of the quotations.
The answer to the SIT question must be in context.
Questions must be declared invalid by the quizmaster or answer judge(s) if:
When a question is deemed invalid and thrown out, it must be replaced with the exact same type of question. For example, a CVRMA must be replaced with an CVRMA, not any multiple-answer reference question.
A team can consist of up to 5 quizzers. Teams can have up to 4 quizzers seated in a quiz at any given time.
Scorekeepers must be notified which quizzer is the captain and which is co-captain before the quiz begins. The captain and co-captain may change during a given competition but not during a quiz.
Only the captain or co-captain may appeal a decision or respond to an appeal. If both the captain and co-captain have erred-out, another quizzer can be designated by the coach to respond to or initiate appeals.
No comment other than "correct" or "incorrect" need be announced by the quiz officials when announcing a ruling; however, at the discretion of the quizmaster (QM) and answer judge (AJ), or at the request of the captain, additional information may be given.
If the additional information regarding the ruling is provided at the discretion of the QM/AJ and not at the request of the captain, this is not considered an explanation of a ruling, which would invalidate an appeal or protest.
If the captain requests additional information regarding the ruling, this is considered an explanation of a ruling and invalidates an appeal or protest. Before replying to a request for an explanation, the QM must ask all teams if they wish to appeal.
All conferring between quizmaster and answer judge(s) shall be done privately.
The quizmaster must:
When a quizzer's response contains a required completion of the question and that completion is different than the written question, the quizmaster will discuss it with the answer judge. If the quizzer gives a reference question that is different than the written question, the quizmaster and answer judge must ensure that the reference question given is the exact same type as the written question.
The quizmaster should consult with the answer judge(s) at any time they feel is necessary, provided it does not infringe upon the quizzer's answering period.
During the answering period, the quizmaster will use only the following prompts.
If a quizzer has provided all the information in the question and answer, except the identification of a pronoun present which is part of the answer text, the quizmaster will prompt the quizzer to identify the specific pronoun. For example: "Can you identify 'He'?" or "Can you identify 'They'?"
The quizmaster is not allowed to say anything other than what the quizzer has already said when asking for the identification. A pronoun may need to be identified only if the antecedent is in context.
On a Reference type question, if the quizzer has given all the information in both the question and the answer and the complete question was not read, the quizmaster will ask, "What is your question?"
On a quote/finish type question, once the quizzer has quoted to the end of the required verse or verses, if the answer is not yet word-perfect, the quizmaster will say, "Again." This will occur as often as needed until the quizzer's answer is word-perfect or the answering period expires. The quizmaster is not allowed to say "again" until the quizzer has come to the end of the verse, each time through, as this would give the quizzer information about where their mistake was made.
For all other question types, once all of the information in both the question and answer has been given, but something needs to be fixed, the quizmaster will say "Again".
On a Situation type question, when the quizzer has completed the quotation, the quizmaster will say, "Quote is complete."
On an INT or MA question, if all the information in the answer text has been given but the quizzer is missing information in the question text, the quizmaster will say "More".
On a Situation question, because the quotation is part of the question, the quizmaster will say "More" when required information from the quotation is missing.
On a Quote or Reference question, if either the chapter or verse number were not completely finished when the quizzer jumped, the quizmaster will say "More".
When an answer given is in question, the answer judge will determine whether the answer given meets the requirements of a correct answer and make a ruling recommendation to the quizmaster.
Answer judges will also:
The scorekeeper will:
The statistician will be responsible for:
The process for running a quiz includes topics like types of quizzes, question type distribution, and how a quiz progresses outside specific quiz events.
There will be no duplicate questions in a single quiz.
When 3 teams are participating in a question and 1 team errs, the next question will be a toss-up question for the 2 teams that did not err on the previous question. The team that erred is ineligible to jump on the toss-up question.
If only 2 teams were participating in a question and 1 team errs, the next question will be a bonus question, not a toss-up question. If only 1 team was participating in a question, it must have been a bonus question. As such, any outcome of the bonus question results in all 3 teams participating in the next question.
If only 2 teams are participating in a question and 1 team errs, the next question will be an assigned bonus question for the team that did not err. An assigned bonus question is awarded to the corresponding chair of the chair that erred on the toss-up.
A quizmaster must introduce and read each question type in a specific, multipart way:
Question introduction
State the full question number and type
"Question number [question number] is a [type] question."
Include whether it's a toss-up or bonus question
"It is a ["toss-up" or "bonus"] for [team(s)]."
For situation questions only, include the question's interrogatives
"I need to know [Situation question interrogatives]."
Call the question
"Question number [question number], question:"
Question text or remainder of question text
A quizmaster may repeat or repeat as a paraphrase any component of the question introduction for additional clarity.
There are 3 primary types of quizzes and 2 related overtime components of quizzes.
There will be 20 numeric questions in a quiz, excluding any overtime questions.
A toss-up question is the result of an error by 1 team. The 2 remaining teams will have the opportunity to jump, but the team making the error is ineligible for that question. If question 1 to 15 is erred, the next question will be a numbered question and a toss-up question. If question 16-20 is erred, the next question will be a toss-up appended with A. For example, if 3 teams were participating on 16, the toss-up question will be question 16A.
Regarding bonus questions:
A 2-team 15-question tie-breaker quiz operates much like a 3-team 20-question quiz except:
Points deduction for every error on a question or toss-up question start at question number 13 instead of question number 17.
A 2-team 20-question quiz operates much like a 3-team 20-question quiz except:
Overtime occurs if a quiz ends in a tie and the team placements (1st, 2nd, 3rd) matter.
In the below table, any minimum or maximum variation between material seasons is indicated in a Narrative/Epistle format.
| Type Group | Minimum | Maximum | Question Types |
|---|---|---|---|
| Interrogative | 7 | 14 | INT |
| Multiple Answer | 2 | 4 | MA |
| Reference | 3 | 5 | CR, CVR, CRMA, CVRMA |
| Quote | 2 | 3 | Q, Q2V |
| Finish | 3 | 5 | FT, FTN, FTV, F2V |
| Situation | 2/0 | 4/0 | SIT |
At least 1 of the reference questions will be a CVR or CVRMA, and at least 1 of the reference questions will be a CR or a CRMA.
For a given Question Type:
For 15-question quizzes, prepare quizzes as normal for 20-question quizzes, but the quizmaster should conclude the quiz when appropriate for the rule of a 15-question quiz.
Except for the exception below:
The exception to the above is if the late team was late due to quizzing in another location which is running late, they are not required to forfeit the quiz or lose 20 points.
If any number of members of a team is late, the quiz will start on time.
Prior to the start of a quiz, if not all quizzers are in the room, 1 of 2 options exist for the team's coach:
Prior to a quizzer's answer being correct or incorrect, a quizzer has 30 seconds to provide their answer.
On all question types, a quizzer cannot automatically be ruled out of context by a single word, even if it is a unique word. Rather, the quizzer must say a complete thought or phrase that conclusively puts them out of context.
The correct person of the Trinity must be given. Giving the name of a different person of the Trinity is considered giving incorrect information.
If a quizzer refers to any person of the Trinity as either "God" or "Lord", these must be clarified by the quizzer within the answering period when the text requires a more specific answer.
"Jesus" and "Christ" are interchangeable (but refer to the person of the Son) and the quizzer will be called correct.
If a pronoun is used in the text to name a person of the Trinity, any of the names for that person of the Trinity within context may be considered an acceptable answer when clarifying. If the pronoun naming that person of the Trinity is identified by the quizzer using a name that correctly identifies the person of the Trinity, but with an identification that is out of context, the quizzer will be considered to have not stayed in context.
When there is a special name of God given in the text, the special name must be given in the quizzer's answer. If the quizzer states any other special names which are not in context, the quizzer will be considered to have not stayed in context, even if they refer to the same person of the Trinity.
When a quizzer gives other names for the same person of the Trinity, used within context, these should be allowed to be clarified within the answering period when a more specific answer is needed.
The quizzer's response is correct when:
If the quizmaster did not complete the reading of the question, the quizzer's answer must include the information in the remainder of the question as well as the answer.
Only the 1st response of the quizzer will be considered; however, if the response by the quizzer is in context and is not incorrect, the quizzer will be allowed their full answering period to satisfy all requirements of a correct response.
A quizzed-out quizzer may only jump on bonus questions.
The quizzer's response is incorrect when:
An err-out eliminates that quizzer from the quiz. The quizzer must leave the platform immediately.
Appeals exist so quizzers can contest rulings made by quiz officials. The team captain or co-captain may appeal if:
An appeal must be made at the time of the quizmaster's decision and before the quizmaster makes known the next question's type. If a timeout is called immediately after a ruling, and a quizzer stands to appeal, the appeal may be conducted prior to the timeout.
No conferring is allowed between the quizzer challenging and anyone else. Conferring with anyone else prior to an appeal will result in:
Once a team has requested an explanation of a ruling, and that explanation has been given, all teams lose the right to appeal. If an explanation of a ruling is requested, the quizmaster will ask if any team wants to appeal.
The result of an appeal may not be appealed.
If the appeal is accepted:
When an appeal is made, the quizmaster must give each team's captain or co-captain an opportunity to speak to the appeal before making a ruling on the appeal. Whichever team is being appealed against will have the right to speak last.
Coaches, including assistant coaches, of the teams participating in a quiz may place the quiz under protest under the following conditions:
The protest must apply to the question or ruling that just occurred. The protest must be placed before the quizmaster makes known the next question's type. If a protest is launched after question number 20 is completed it must be done immediately after the ruling is announced.
The coach may only confer with their assistant coach and any quizzer members of the team that are not currently seated in the quiz before protesting.
The quiz officials and quiz team coaches will meet privately and attempt to come to an agreement. If no agreement is reached within 10 minutes, the meet director will arbitrate and determine the just solution.
A foul is a penalty called by a quiz official against a quizzer or team for conduct that breaks the text or spirit of the rules.
The quizzer upon whom a foul is called becomes ineligible to jump on that question number, including any alphanumeric question numbers. The chair remains ineligible to jump on that question number, including any alphanumeric question numbers, even if the quizzer who committed the foul is substituted for.
If the officials fail to call a foul, a coach or captain may call it to the attention of the quizmaster. If in the officials' opinions a foul might have been committed, the quizmaster will give due warning to the violating team. A foul cannot be charged, and points cannot be deducted when the quizmaster receives such help from a coach or captain.
3 fouls by a quizzer eliminate that quizzer from the quiz. The quizzer must leave the platform immediately. That seat will continue to be ineligible to jump for the entire question number, including any alphanumeric question numbers.
The following are fouls:
Each team is allowed 2 1-minute timeouts. Only 1 of those timeouts may be taken after question number 17, including any alphanumeric question numbers.
Substitutions may be made only during timeouts or to replace a quizzer who quizzes-out, errs-out, or fouls-out on the immediately preceding question.
Quizzed-out quizzers may remain in the quiz to answer bonus questions. Substituting for them afterward will require a timeout. If subbed-out, they may not return for any reason.
When a quizzer quizzes-out, errs-out, or fouls-out and leaves the platform after the event, a substitute may take their place immediately and without a timeout, even if the incoming quizzer has been subbed-out less than 3 questions ago.
All points that occur during a bonus question or during overtime do not contribute to the individual score of a quizzer.
All points earned or deducted by an individual are to be counted towards the team's points.
+20 points will be awarded to each team present at the scheduled start time of the quiz.
Teams that arrive late due to quizzing in another room are excused from the forfeiture of these points. If a single quizzer is late, the coach can decide to keep the +20 points by keeping the late quizzer out the whole quiz, or forfeit the points by subbing the quizzer in after question number 1. This decision must occur before the quiz has been started.
Team errors are the sum of all individual, non-bonus errors.
The tournament brackets are based on 3 things: A preliminary round (or "prelims"), an elimination round (or "brackets") at the discretion of the meet director, and championship quizzes.
Team points are calculated using a team's score at the end of question 20, together with their place, which could be determined at the end of question 20 or after the end of overtime. Teams start with a base number of points based on their place and receive additional points based on their team score. The specifics are detailed in the section below.
In case of a tie, points are awarded according to the team score at the end of question 20. Overtime is used solely to determine placements.
If ties are not being broken in prelims, more than 1 team can receive 1st place or 2nd place points. If 2 tied for 1st, then other team is 3rd. If 2 tied for 2nd, then the 1st team is 1st and the other 2 are 2nd.
Team points are calculated by dividing the team score immediately after question 20 (including any A and B questions) by 10 and then applying placement adjustment:
When more than 9 teams are involved, at the determination of the meet director and announced before the meet begins, there may be XYZ quizzes following these guidelines:
A Consolation Final 9 bracket will be used for positions 10-15 (determined by XYZ quizzes) and places 16-18 determined by XXYYZZ quizzes. The teams in the XYZ quizzes cannot move below position 15, regardless of how low their XYZ quiz score was. Likewise, the teams in the XXYYZZ quizzes cannot move above position 16, regardless of how high their intermediate quiz scores were.
XYZ Quizzes
XXYYZZ Quizzes
There will be a tie-breaker quiz for positions 6, 15, and 24. Ties for positions 7 through 14 will be broken in accordance with the following priorities:
Points earned in these quizzes should be added to the points earned in the opening round by each team. The highest 3 teams, based on the point system above, are then placed in the above bracket. The next 6 teams are placed in the lower bracket.
This bracket is based on the "winner-move-up" philosophy and is designed to select the best team out of a possible 9 teams through winning rather than losing. The teams are then arranged in order (from 1st to 9th place) by points. The winners of quizzes A, D, and F meet in quiz G for the championship.
In this bracket, the top 3 teams are involved in a triple-elimination, the middle 3 teams in a double-elimination, and the last 3 teams in a single-elimination. This way only those teams that have earned the right through winning will advance to the final quiz.
Bracket Design
This bracket does not require each team to lose to be eliminated.
Championship Quiz
Each team in the final 9 must lose twice. A team may make the finals by actually winning only 1 quiz in this tournament bracket.
Bracket Design
Championship Quizzes
If the same team took 3rd place in Quiz I and J, then Quiz K will be a 2-team quiz to determine 1st and 2nd place.
This bracket is a combination of brackets A and B. A team must win at least 2 quizzes to obtain a position in the finals.
Bracket Design
Championship Quizzes
If the same team took 3rd place in Quiz J and K, then Quiz L will be a 2-team quiz to determine 1st and 2nd place.
A team must win twice to become the champion team. All 3 teams will continue to quiz until 1 team wins twice.
If the same team wins the 1st 2 championship quizzes, 2nd place is determined by the most 2nd places. If that is a tie, 2nd place will be determined by the clarification section (below).
If the champion team is determined in 3 quizzes, 2nd and 3rd places will be determined by the clarification section (below).
If the champion team is determined in 4 quizzes, 2nd place is determined by the most 2nd places. If that is a tie, 2nd place will be determined by the clarification section (below).
If necessitated from the above championship quizzes, 2nd place will be determined as follows:
These rules apply to the International Bible Quizzing (IBQ) championship meet conducted annually, administered under the oversight of the Christian and Missionary Alliance (CMA) Quizzing Leadership Team (CQLT).
All quizzers for IBQ competition must be 12 to 18 years of age at any point during the quiz season. Each quiz season begins on August 1 and ends on July 31.
In order to quiz at Internationals for a specific district:
Any exceptions to this must be brought to the CQLT.
Each district will be allowed to send as many teams as the district feels will be competitive and that they are financially able to send. These will be the district's international teams.
Each team must have a coach and may also have an assistant coach.
All arrangements, promotion, and administration will be handled by the CQLT and the Life Office.
Notification by each district of its intention to enter a team must be received by the CQLT, on a form supplied by the CQLT, no later than the date posted on the CMA Bible Quizzing website. The names of the IBQ team, its quizzers, and its coaching staff, and all registration fees must be sent, when specified, to the Life Office for that quiz season. District participation fees for the current quiz season must be paid in order to register for the IBQ competition. Any exceptions to this must be brought to the CQLT.
IBQ officials may include quizmasters, answer judges, scorekeepers, statisticians, and a meet director. IBQ officials will be appointed by the CQLT. To be considered for the CQLT appointment, all officials should:
When deemed necessary, any official may be replaced from their position during a meet by the CQLT. Team coaches whose teams are not involved in the quiz shall serve as answer judges and scorekeepers if needed.
At least 1 scorekeeper will tabulate the results of each question on official scoresheets in every IBQ quiz. They shall keep a running score of each quiz. Points will be accurately tallied on individual quizzers for each team by statisticians appointed by the CQLT.
Statisticians shall:
Statisticians shall not be a regular scorekeeper.
Questions must be written covering the entire material for the quiz season. Question set preparation will be the responsibility of the CQLT. All questions for all quizzes will be selected from across the full set of questions.
Electronic jump-seat equipment must be used for all competitions. A backup set must be on hand at all times.
An audio recording system must be used in all rooms.
This rule book and all associated subordinate documentation, data files, configuration files, software, and other files contained within a GitHub project are open for amendment by anyone. The GitHub project is:
https://github.com/gryphonshafer/Quizzing-Rule-Book
This is the management process for those changes and how the documents will be managed for annual International Bible Quizzing (IBQ) championship meets.
Proposed changes should be submitted as an "Issue" to the GitHub project.
https://github.com/gryphonshafer/Quizzing-Rule-Book/issues/new
Submitted issues will contain:
Everyone is invited to review and discuss submitted issues, adding comments to them to further the discussion. An authorized Rules Committee (RC) will review each submitted issue for quality, appropriateness, integrational impact, and other factors. The RC will add comments on the issue as necessary to improve or solicit improvements upon any area the RC feels is needed.
The RC will review all open issues at least every 3 months and will by a simple majority vote decide if each issue is ready for progression, needs to remain in discussion, or should be closed without further action. In all cases, the RC should at minimum provide a summary status explanation comment on every issue it reviews. If an issue is deemed ready for progression, the RC will see that a pull request (PR) is created and the issue closed. The PR will be constructed against the integration branch of the project.
PRs to the integration branch will be in an open review period for 3 calendar months from the date they are created, during which time they can be discussed and debated by anyone using the comment features on GitHub. At the conclusion of the 3 months, a simple majority of RC will approve or reject the PR. An approved PR will be immediately merged to the integration branch.
Annually, the CQLT will review a PR of the integration branch merged to the master branch. A simple majority of the CQLT will ratify or reject the PR. When ratified, the PR will be merged to master immediately following that season's IBQ. Whatever is in master will be considered the rule book and supporting documentation for the upcoming IBQ.
No changes to master are allowed except for:
integrationIt's highly recommended anyone interested in following or participating in any rule book discussions or for those who would like to be notified when new rule book versions are published should "Watch" the GitHub project by clicking the "Watch" button near the upper right of the project's home page and selecting the desired watch level.