Bible verse cog for Red-Discordbot

bible.py

import discord
import requests
import json
import urllib
from discord.ext import commands


class Bible:

    def __init__(self, bot):
        self.bot = bot
        self.URL = "http://labs.bible.org"

    async def api_request(self, arg, mode='json', formatting='plain'):
        geturl = "{U}/api?passage={a}&formatting={f}&type={m}".format(
            U=self.URL,
            a=arg,
            f=formatting,
            m=mode
        )

        r = requests.get(geturl)
        
        if r.status_code is not 200:
            await self.bot.say("Error accessing {U}, error {E}. Please notify a minister.".format(
                U=URL,
                E=r.status_code
                )
            )

        return r


    @commands.command()
    async def bible(self, ref1, ref2, ref3=None):
        """
        Access a bible verse by it's direct reference

        reference: Scripture reference (E.g '1 Cor 2:2, John 3:16-17')
        """
        # Work around bot quoting rules, we don't want users to need to
        # enclose scripture references in quotes.
        # Example: 1 John 5:19
        #          John 3:16
        if ref3:
          ref = " ".join((ref1,ref2,ref3))
        else:
          ref = " ".join((ref1,ref2))
        
        verseref = urllib.parse.quote_plus(ref)

        r = await self.api_request(verseref)
        js_response = json.loads(r.text)

        for passage in js_response:
            await self.bot.say(passage['text'])

def setup(bot):
    bot.add_cog(Bible(bot))