Rational Faith

 

Sidebar: The Nicene Creed

Notes on this version:

"Found in Epiphanius, Ancoratus, 118, c. A.D. 374, and extracted by scholars, almost word for word, from the Catechetical Lectures of S. Cyril of Jerusalem; read and approved at Chalcedon, 451, at the creed of  '(the 318 fathers who met at Nicaea and that of) the 150 who met at a later time' (i.e. at Constantinople, 381). Hence often called the Constantinopolitan or Nicaeno-Constantinopolitan creed, and thought by many to be a revision of the creed of Jerusalem held by Cyril." [1]

Where this version differs from modern language (see for example from the 2019 Book of common prayer,) the original word(s) (not in the modern version) are in italics and the modern language (additions or modifications not in the original) follows in brackets [ ]. (Words not italicized or in brackets are the original language in both versions.)

 


The Nicene Creed

We believe in one God,
the Father, All-Sovereign [the Almighty],
maker of heaven and earth,
and of all things [of all that is,] visible and invisible. 

And [We believe] in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only-begotten Son of God,
Begotten of the Father before all ages [eternally begotten of the Father,]
Light of Light, true God of true God,  [God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God,]
begotten, not made,
of one substance [2] [Being] with the Father;
through him all things were made;[.]
who For us men and for our salvation [he] came down from the heavens,
and was made flesh of [was incarnate from] the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary,
and was made [became] man[.]
and was crucified for us [For our sake he was crucified] under Pontius Pilate;
and [he] suffered [death] and was buried.
and rose again On the third day [he rose again] in accordance with the Scriptures,[;]
and [he] ascended into the heavens
and sitteth [is seated] on [at] the right hand of the Father.
and cometh [He will come] again with [in] glory to judge [the] living and [the] dead,
of whose [and his] kingdom there shall be [will have] no end.

And [We believe] in the Holy Spirit, the Lord,  and the Life-giver [giver of life],
that proceedeth [who proceeds] from the Father [and the Son†],
who with [the] Father and [the] Son is worshiped together and glorified together,
who spake [has spoken] through the prophets.
 

In [We believe in] one holy Catholic [catholic] and Apostolic [apostolic] Church.
We acknowledge one Baptism unto remission of  [for the forgiveness of] sins.
We look for a [the] resurrection of the dead,
and the life of the age [world] to come.

† The phrase “and the Son” (Latin filioque, thus known as the filioque clause) is not in the original Greek text.

 


Notes
1. Henry Bettenson, editor Documents of the Christian Church, New York: Oxford University Press:1963, pp.25-26
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2. The Greek word for "one substance" is ΄ομοουσιον – homoousion - see here on the Arian heresy which the Nicene creed was written to combat.
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References
Modern version: The Gospel Coalition:  https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/publication-online/nicene-creed/