Nicean Creed thread

[Mystic Rose]

The following is a literal translation of the Greek text of the Constantinopolitan form, the brackets indicating the words altered or added in the Western liturgical form in present use:

We believe (I believe) in one God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, and born of the Father before all ages. (God of God) light of light, true God of true God. Begotten not made, consubstantial to the Father, by whom all things were made. Who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven. And was incarnate of the Holy Ghost and of the Virgin Mary and was made man; was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate, suffered and was buried; and the third day rose again according to the Scriptures. And ascended into heaven, sits at the right hand of the Father, and shall come again with glory to judge the living and the dead, of whose Kingdom there shall be no end. And (I believe) in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver of life, who proceeds from the Father (and the Son), who together with the Father and the Son is to be adored and glorified, who spoke by the Prophets. And one holy, catholic, and apostolic Church. We confess (I confess) one baptism for the remission of sins. And we look for (I look for) the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen."

[Mystic Rose]

We believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the only-begotten, begotten of the Father before all ages. Light of Light; true God of true God; begotten, not made; of one essence with the Father, by whom all things were made; who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven, and was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and became man. And He was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffered, and was buried. And the third day He rose again, according to the Scriptures; and ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of the Father; and He shall come again with glory to judge the living and the dead; whose Kingdom shall have no end.

Following the controversy about the Son of God, the Divine Word, and essentially connected with it, was the dispute about the Holy Spirit. The following definition of the Council in Constantinople in 381, which has come to be known as the second ecumenical council was added to the Nicene statement:

And [we believe] in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Giver of Life, who proceeds from the Father; who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified; who spoke by the prophets. In one Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church. I acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins. I look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.

[Mystic Rose]

The Nicean-Constantinoplean Creed of 381 AD

I believe (Romans 10: 8-10; 1 John 4: 15)
in one God, (Deuteronomy 6: 4, Ephesians 4: 6)
the Father almighty, (Matthew 6: 9) (Exodus 6: 3)
Maker of heaven and earth (Genesis 1: 1)
and of all things visible and invisible. (Colossians 1: 15-16)
And in one Lord Jesus Christ, (Acts 11: 17)
the Only-Begotten (John 1: 18; 3: 16)
Son of God, (Mathew 14: 33; 16: 16)
begotten of the Father before all ages: (John 1: 2)
Light of Light, (Psalm 27: 1; John 8: 12; Matthew 17: 2,5)
True God of true God, (John 17: 1-5)
begotten, not made, (John 1: 18)
of one essence with the Father, (John 10: 30)
by Whom all things were made; (Hebrews 1: 1-2)
Who for us men, and for our salvation (1 Timothy 2: 4-5)
came down from Heaven, (John 6: 33,35)
and was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, (Luke 1: 35)
and became man; (John 1: 14)
Who was crucified for us (Mark 15: 25; 1 Corinthians 15: 3)
under Pontius Pilate, (John 19: 6)
suffered, (Mark 8: 31)
and was buried; (Luke 23: 53; 1 Corinthians 15: 4)
Who arose on the third day according to the scriptures, (Luke 24: 1 1 Corinthians 15: 4)
and ascended into Heaven, (Luke 24: 51; Acts 1: 10)
and sits at the right hand of the Father;(Mark 16: 19; Acts 7: 55)
Who will come again with glory (Matthew 24: 27)
to judge the living and the dead; (Acts 10: 42; 2 Timothy 4: 1)
and Whose Kingdom shall have no end. (2 Peter 1: 11)
And in the Holy Spirit, (John 14: 26)
the Lord, (Acts 5: 3-4)
the Giver of Life, (Genesis 1: 2)
Who proceeds from the Father, (John 15: 26)
Who together with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified, (Matthew 3: 16-17)
Who spoke through the prophets. (1 Samuel 19: 20; Ezekiel 11: 5,13)
In one, (Matthew 16: 18)
holy, (1 Peter 2: 5,9)
catholic * (Mark 16: 15)
and apostolic Church. (Acts 2: 42; Ephesians 2: 19-22)
I profess one baptism for the remission of sins. (Ephesians 4: 5; Acts 2: 38)
I look for the resurrection of the dead (John 11: 24; 1 Corinthians 15: 12-49; Hebrews 6: 2; Revelation 20: 5)
and the life of the age to come. (Mark 10: 29-30)
Amen. (Psalm 106: 48)



This English translation is taken from the original Greek, not the Latin. It is used in the Melkite Greek Catholic Church (under the Pope of Rome) and in the Greek and Russian Orthodox Churches and throughout Orthodox Christianity. The Novus Ordo Catholics , Lutherans, Episcopalians, Anglicans, Methodists, and Presbyterians all use very similar words with some compromises in their more recent modernistic translations. A 1970 Baptist Hymnal has this creed with the lower case letters for the words "one, holy, catholic and apostolic church." A copy of the Nicene Creed is located in the inside cover of the Baptist Hymnal.

* catholic means the universal teachings of the unchanging Faith once delivered by Christ to the Apostles for all peoples and for all times.

There are two versions of this Original Nicean-Constantinoplean Creed: the original Greek and also a Latin translation from the Greek that was done after the fact to accommodate the Latin Fathers. The English translation from the Greek is superior as Greek is more of a theological language than Latin. For example, there are four Greek words for love. Essence is a better word than substance or consubstantial (which comes from substance) as God is not matter but spirit.