Nicene creed

The Nicene Creed is an ecumenical Christian statement of faith that was formulated at the Council of Nicaea in 325 AD and accepted in the Roman Catholic, Syrian Orthodox (Jacobite), Eastern Orthodox, Eastern Catholic, Oriental Orthodox, Assyrian, Anglican, Lutheran, Presbyterian, and many other Protestant Churches.

History
The Nicene Creed took place in the First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea, in Asia Minor, in the year 325. About 300 bishops came to attend; the majority from the Greek-speaking eastern part of the Roman Empire. The most difficult issue that the council had to face was the Arian controversy. Arius, a Libyan presbyter in Alexandria, had declared that although the Son was divine, he was no more than a creature, no matter how high a creature, and therefore not co-essential with the Father, and "there was when he was not". This made Jesus less than the Father.

There was a small number of convinced Arians, led by Eusebius of Nicomedia. In direct opposition to the Arian party, there was a small group of bishops led by Alexander of Alexandria. Among his followers was a young man, named Athanasius of Alexandria later known as the champion of Nicene orthodoxy. Arius's teaching provoked a serious crisis. At first, the vast majority of the bishops did not belong to any of these groups. But after the explanation by Eusebius of Nicomedia the mood of majority changed and this aroused violent opposition.

The Nicene Creed explicitly affirms the co-essential divinity of the Son, applying to him the term "consubstantial".

Greek text



 * Πιστεύομεν εἰς ἕνα Θεόν,
 * Πατέρα, Παντοκράτορα,
 * ποιητὴν οὐρανοῦ καὶ γῆς,
 * ὁρατῶν τε πάντων καὶ ἀοράτων.


 * Καὶ εἰς ἕνα Κύριον Ἰησοῦν Χριστόν,
 * τὸν Υἱὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ τὸν μονογενῆ,
 * τὸν ἐκ τοῦ Πατρὸς γεννηθέντα πρὸ πάντων τῶν αἰώνων·
 * φῶς ἐκ φωτός, Θεὸν ἀληθινὸν ἐκ Θεοῦ ἀληθινοῦ,
 * γεννηθέντα οὐ ποιηθέντα, ὁμοούσιον τῷ Πατρί,
 * δι' οὗ τὰ πάντα ἐγένετο.
 * Τoν δι' ἡμᾶς τοὺς ἀνθρώπους
 * καὶ διὰ τὴν ἡμετέραν σωτηρίαν
 * κατελθόντα ἐκ τῶν οὐρανῶν
 * καὶ σαρκωθέντα ἐκ Πνεύματος Ἁγίου
 * καὶ Μαρίας τῆς Παρθένου καὶ ἐνανθρωπήσαντα.
 * Σταυρωθέντα τε ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν ἐπὶ Ποντίου Πιλάτου,
 * καὶ παθόντα καὶ ταφέντα.
 * Καὶ ἀναστάντα τῇ τρίτῃ ἡμέρα κατὰ τὰς Γραφάς.
 * Καὶ ἀνελθόντα εἰς τοὺς οὐρανοὺς καὶ καθεζόμενον ἐκ δεξιῶν τοῦ Πατρός.
 * Καὶ πάλιν ἐρχόμενον μετὰ δόξης κρῖναι ζῶντας καὶ νεκρούς,
 * οὗ τῆς βασιλείας οὐκ ἔσται τέλος.


 * Καὶ εἰς τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ Ἅγιον, τὸ κύριον, τὸ ζωοποιόν,
 * τὸ ἐκ τοῦ Πατρὸς ἐκπορευόμενον,
 * τὸ σὺν Πατρὶ καὶ Υἱῷ συμπροσκυνούμενον καὶ συνδοξαζόμενον,
 * τὸ λαλῆσαν διὰ τῶν προφητῶν.


 * Εἰς μίαν, Ἁγίαν, Καθολικὴν καὶ Ἀποστολικὴν Ἐκκλησίαν.
 * Ὁμολογῶ ἓν βάπτισμα εἰς ἄφεσιν ἁμαρτιῶν.
 * Προσδοκῶ ἀνάστασιν νεκρῶν.
 * Καὶ ζωὴν τοῦ μέλλοντος αἰῶνος.
 * Ἀμήν.

Latin text

 * Credo in unum Deum,
 * Patrem omnipoténtem,
 * Factórem cæli et terræ,
 * Visibílium ómnium et invisibílium.


 * Et in unum Dóminum Iesum Christum,
 * Fílium Dei Unigénitum,
 * Et ex Patre natum ante ómnia sæcula.
 * Deum de Deo, lumen de lúmine, Deum verum de Deo vero,
 * Génitum, non factum, consubstantiálem Patri:
 * Per quem ómnia facta sunt.
 * Qui propter nos hómines et propter nostram salútem
 * Descéndit de cælis.
 * Et incarnátus est de Spíritu Sancto
 * Ex María Vírgine, et homo factus est.


 * Crucifíxus étiam pro nobis sub Póntio Piláto;
 * Passus, et sepúltus est,
 * Et resurréxit tértia die, secúndum Scriptúras,
 * Et ascéndit in cælum, sedet ad déxteram Patris.
 * Et íterum ventúrus est cum glória,
 * Iudicáre vivos et mórtuos,
 * Cuius regni non erit finis.


 * Et in Spíritum Sanctum, Dóminum et vivificántem:
 * Qui ex Patre Filióque procédit.
 * Qui cum Patre et Fílio simul adorátur et conglorificátur:
 * Qui locútus est per prophétas.


 * Et unam, sanctam, cathólicam et apostólicam Ecclésiam.
 * Confíteor unum baptísma in remissiónem peccatorum.
 * Et expecto resurrectionem mortuorum,
 * Et vitam ventúri sæculi.
 * Amen.

English translation

 * I 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-begotten Son of God.
 * Born of the Father before all ages.
 * God of God, Light of Light, true God of true God.
 * Begotten, not made: consubstantial with the Father;
 * by Whom all things were made.
 * Who for us men and for our salvation,
 * came down from Heaven:
 * and was incarnate by the Holy Ghost
 * of the Virgin Mary: and was made man.


 * He was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate,
 * suffered and was buried.
 * And on the third day He rose again according to the Scriptures.
 * And He ascended into Heaven and sitteth at the right hand of the Father.
 * And He shall come again with glory to judge the living and the dead:
 * of Whose kingdom there shall be no end.


 * And in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver of life:
 * Who proceedeth from the Father and the Son (Filioque).
 * Who together with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified:
 * Who spoke through the Prophets.


 * And in One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church.
 * I confess one Baptism for the remission of sins.
 * And I look for the resurrection of the dead,
 * and the life of the world to come.
 * Amen.

Related References

 * Nicene Creed from Christian Apologetics Research Ministry (CARM)