Nicene Creed

Knowing Jesus

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The Nicene Creed (325 AD, expanded 381, Constantinople)

The Nicene Creed, also called the Nicaeno-Constantinopolitan Creed, is a statement of the orthodox faith of the early Christian church in opposition to certain heresies, especially Arianism. These heresies, which disturbed the church during the fourth century, concerned the doctrine of the trinity and of the person of Christ. Both the Greek (Eastern) and the Latin (Western) church held this creed in honor, though with one important difference: the Western church insisted on the inclusion of the phrase "and the Son" (known as the "filioque") in the article on the procession of the Holy Spirit; this phrase still is repudiated by the Eastern Orthodox church. In its present form this creed goes back partially to the Council of Nicea (A.D. 325) with additions by the Council of Constantinople (A.D. 381). It was accepted in its present form at the Council of Chalcedon in 451, but the "filioque" phrase was not added until 589. However, the creed is in substance an accurate and majestic formulation of the Nicene faith. [Taken from the Christian Reformed Church webiste, https://www.crcna.org/welcome/beliefs/creeds/nicene-creed ]

The Text

The original 325 version

We believe in one God the Father Almighty

Maker of all things visible and invisible

And in one Lord, Jesus Christ,

The Son of God,

Begotten from the Father, the Only-begotten,

That is, from the substance of the Father,

God from God,

Light from light,

True God from true God,

Begotten not made,

Of one substance with the Father,

Through whom all things came into existence,

Things in heaven and things on earth,

Who, because of us humans and on account of our salvation, came down

And came in the flesh,

And became man,

[And] suffered,

And rose on the third day,

And ascended into the heavens,

And will come to judge the living and the dead;

And [we believe] in the Holy Spirit.

The 381 Nicaeno-Constantinopolitan Version

We believe in one God,

the Father almighty,

maker of heaven and earth,

of all things visible and invisible.

And in one Lord Jesus Christ,

the only Son of God,

begotten from the Father before all ages,

God from God,

Light from Light,

true God from true God,

begotten, not made;

of the same essence as the Father.

Through him all things were made.

For us and for our salvation

he came down from heaven;

he became incarnate by the Holy Spirit and the virgin Mary,

and was made human.

He was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate;

he suffered and was buried.

The third day he rose again, according to the Scriptures.

He ascended to heaven

and is seated at the right hand of the Father.

He will come again with glory

to judge the living and the dead.

His kingdom will never end.

And we believe in the Holy Spirit,

the Lord, the giver of life.

He proceeds from the Father and the Son,

and with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified.

He spoke through the prophets.

We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic church.

We affirm one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.

We look forward to the resurrection of the dead,

and to life in the world to come. Amen.

This translation of the Greek text was approved by the Christian Reformed Church Synod of 1988.

The History of the Creed