Start with:
Recently I started reading the bible. I started with <span class="scripture">Isaiah 40:8;</span>
then moved onto <span>Matthew 22:29</span> and finished with <span class="scripture">John 5:39; 16:13-15; 17:17;</span>
Apply:
$('.scripture').scriptureLink();
Finish with:
Recently I started reading the bible. I started with <a href="http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Isaiah+40:8;" target="_blank">Isaiah 40:8;</a>
then moved onto <span>Matthew 22:29</span> and finished with <a href="http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=John+5:39;+16:13-15;+17:17;" target="_blank">John 5:39; 16:13-15; 17:17;</a>
By default scriptureLink will send you to gnpcb.org with the esv version. The link will also open in a new window. However you can change these defaults by passing options to scriptureLink:
$('.scripture'.scriptureLink({
link: function(text) { return "http://www.biblegateway.com/" + text; } //this function must return the value of the href attribute
new_target: true or false
});