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The Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed
The
word “creed” derives from the Latin credo which simply means, “I believe.” The corresponding word in Greek is Πιστεύω. Used as a noun, a creed is a “statement of belief.”
The
Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed is that formulated at the
First (AD 325)
and
Second (AD 381)
Ecumenical Councils
held in Nicea and Constantinople, respectively.
As
recited in the Orthodox Church it is as follows:
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Τὸ Σύμβολο τῆς Πίστεως
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The Symbol of the Faith
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1. Πιστεύω
εἰς ἕνα Θεόν, Πατέρα, Παντοκράτορα, ποιητὴν οὐρανοῦ καὶ γῆς, ὁρατῶν τε
πάντων καὶ ἀοράτων.
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1. I
believe in one God: the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of
all things visible and invisible;
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2. 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 ἀληθινὸνἐκ
Θεοῦ ἀληθινοῦ, γεννηθέντα οὐ ποιηθέντα, ὁμοούσιον τῷ Πατρί, δι' οὗ τὰ
πάντα ἐγένετο.
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2. 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, through Whom all
things were made;
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3. Τὸν
δι' ἡμᾶς τοὺς ἀνθρώπους καὶ διὰ τὴν ἡμετέραν σωτηρίαν κατελθόντα ἐκ τῶν
οὐρανῶν καὶ σαρκωθέντα ἐκ Πνεύματος Ἁγίου καὶ Μαρίας τῆς Παρθένου καὶ
ἐνανθρωπήσαντα.
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3. Who
for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven, and was incarnate
by the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and became man;
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4. Σταυρωθέντα
τε ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν ἐπὶ Ποντίου Πιλάτου, καὶ παθόντα καὶ ταφέντα.
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4. And
He was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffered and was buried;
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5. Καὶ
ἀναστάντα τῇ τρίτῃ ἡμέρα κατὰ τὰς Γραφάς.
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5. And
the third day He rose according to the Scriptures,
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6. Καὶ
ἀνελθόντα εἰς τοὺς οὐρανοὺς καὶ καθεζόμενον ἐκ δεξιῶν τοῦ Πατρός.
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6. And
ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of the Father;
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7. Καὶ
πάλιν ἐρχόμενον μετὰ δόξης κρῖναι ζῶντας καὶ νεκρούς, οὗ τῆς βασιλείας οὐκ
ἔσται τέλος.
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7. And
He shall come again with glory to judge the living and the dead; Whose
Kingdom shall have no end;
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8. 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.
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8. And
in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Giver of life, Who proceeds from the
Father; Who with the Father and the Son is worshipped and glorified; Who
spoke through the prophets.
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9. Εἰς
μίαν, Ἁγίαν, Καθολικὴν καὶ Ἀποστολικὴν Ἐκκλησίαν.
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9. In
one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church.
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10. Ὁμολογῶ
ἓν βάπτισμα εἰς ἄφεσιν ἁμαρτιῶν.
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10. I
acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins.
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11. Προσδοκῶ
ἀνάστασιν νεκρῶν.
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11. I
look for the resurrection of the dead,
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12. Καὶ
ζωὴν τοῦ μέλλοντος αἰῶνος.
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12. And
the life of the world to come.
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Ἀμήν.
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Amen.
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History
The
Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed may also be called the “Nicene Creed,” the “Symbol of Faith,” or simply the “Creed.”
The
initial formulation of a dogmatic Creed at the Council of Nicaea in AD 325
was based either on the “Apostles’ Creed” used in Palestine as a
baptismal creed or on the “Syrian Creed” promulgated in Antioch earlier in AD 325.
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The Apostles’ Creed
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The Syrian Creed
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I
believe in God the Father almighty, Maker of heaven and earth,
and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary,
who suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried,
descended into hell, rose again from the dead on the third day,
ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty,
who will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting.
Amen.
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We
believe in one God, Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible.
and in one Lord Jesus Christ, only begotten Son of God, who of the Father was born, before all worlds,
light from light, true God from true God, begotten not made, and equal in essence to his 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 of virgin Mary, Mother of God, and became man,
was crucified for us, in the days of Pontius Pilate, suffered and died and was buried,
rose on the third day according to his will and ascended to heaven and sits at the right hand of his Father
and will come again in his great glory to judge the living and dead, whose kingdom has no end
and in one living Holy Spirit, who is Lord and giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified, who spoke by the prophets and apostles,
and in one Holy Church, catholic and apostolic,
We confess, that there is one baptism, for the forgiveness of sins,
and we look for, the resurrection of the dead,
and the new life in the world to come.
Amin.
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The
“Nicene Creed” continues to be recited in the Orthodox Church exactly as
it was finally formulated at the Second Ecumenical Council convened in
Constantinople.
Some
centuries later, the Roman Catholic Church adopted a revision of the Creed
by the addition of the
Filioque,
which became one of the principal causes of the
Great Schism
between Rome and the Orthodox Church.
The
Coptic church
holds to a tradition that the Nicene Creed was authored by
Saint Athanasius of Alexandria
whose theology was instrumental at the Nicene council.
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