The Nicene Creed

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 Son of God, the Only-begotten, Begotten of the Father before all worlds, Light of Light, Very God of Very 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 was made man;

And was crucified also 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 sitteth at the right hand of the Father;

And He shall come again with glory to judge the quick and the dead, Whose kingdom shall have no end.

And I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, and Giver of Life, Who proceedeth from the Father, Who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified, Who spake by the Prophets;

And I believe 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.



  The following is a line by line analysis of the Creed, showing that what the Orthodox Christians believe is found in the Scriptures and is part of the Bible.

I believe in
(Romans 10:8-10; 1 John 4:15)

One God,
(Deuteronomy 6:4; Ephesians 4:6)

the Father
(Matthew 6:9)

Almighty,
(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 Son of God,
(Matthew 14:33, 16:16)

the Only-begotten,
(John 1:18, 3:16)

Begotten of the Father before all worlds,
(John 1:2)

Light of Light,
(Psalm 27:1; John 8:12; Matthew 17:2, 5)

Very God of Very 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
(1Timothy 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 was made man;
(John 1:14)

And was crucified for us
(Mark 15:25; 1 Corinthians 15:3)

under Pontius Pilate,
(John 19:6)

and suffered
(Mark 8:31)

and was buried;
(Luke 23:53; 1 Corinthians 15:4)

And the third day He rose again, according to the Scriptures;
(Luke 24:11; 1 Corinthians 15:4)

and ascended into heaven,
(Luke 24:51; Acts 1:10)

and sitteth at the right hand of the Father;
(Mark 16:19; Acts 7:55)

and He shall come again with glory
(Matthew 24:27)

to judge the quick and the dead,
(Acts 10:42; 2 Timothy 4:1)

Whose kingdom shall have no end.
(2 Peter 1:11)

And I believe in the Holy Spirit,
(John 14:26)

the Lord,
(Acts 5:3-4)

and Giver of Life,
(Genesis 1:2)

Who proceedeth from the Father,
(John 15:26)

Who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified,
(Matthew 3:16-17)

Who spake by the Prophets;
(1 Samuel 19:20; Ezekiel 11:5, 13)

And I believe 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 acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins.
(Ephesians 4:5)

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 world to come.
(Mark 10:29-30)

Amen.
(Psalm 106:48)

This icon, below, depicts the Emperor Constantine, accompanied by the Bishops of the First Council of Nicaea (325), holding the Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed of 381.

Below is the oldest known manuscript of the Nicene Creed in existence, dated to the 5th Century.

Below, for your convenience, are the verses mentioned in the analysis.

Romans 10:8-10 But what does it say? "The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart" (that is, the word of faith which we preach): that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
1 John 4:15 Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.
Deuteronomy 6:4 These are the ordinances and the judgments the Lord commanded the children of Israel in the desert, when they came from the land of Egypt: "Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord.
Ephesians 4:6 one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
Matthew 6:9 In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.
Exodus 6:3 I appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as their God, but I did not reveal to them My name, Lord.
Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God made heaven and earth.
Colossians 1:15-16 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. all things were created through Him and for Him.
Acts 11:17 If therefore God gave them the same gift as He gave us when we believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could withstand God?
Matthew 14:33, 16:16 Then those who were in the boat came and worshiped Him, saying, "Truly You are the Son of God." Simon Peter answered and said, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."
John 1:18, 3:16 No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
John 1:2 He was in the beginning with God.
Psalm 27:1 The Lord is my light and my savior; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the defender of my life; whom shall I dread?
John 8:12 Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life."
Matthew 17:2, 5 and He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light. While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, Hear Him!"
John 17:1-5 Jesus spoke these words, lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said: "Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You, as You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him. And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do. And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.
John 1:18 No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.
John 10:30 "I and My Father are one."
Hebrews 1:1-2 God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds;
1 Timothy 2:4-5 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus,
John 6:33, 35 "For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world." And Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst."
Luke 1:35 And the angel answered and said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God.
John 1:14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
Mark 15:25 Now it was the third hour, and they crucified Him.
1 Corinthians 15:3 For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,
John 19:6 Therefore, when the chief priests and officers saw Him, they cried out, saying, "Crucify Him, crucify Him!" Pilate said to them, "You take Him and crucify Him, for I find no fault in Him."
Mark 8:31 And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.
Luke 23:53 Then he took it down, wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a tomb that was hewn out of the rock, where no one had ever lain before.
1 Corinthians 15:4 and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures,
Luke 24:11 And their words seemed to them like idle tales, and they did not believe them.
1 Corinthians 15:4 and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures,
Luke 24:51 Now it came to pass, while He blessed them, that He was parted from them and carried up into heaven.
Acts 1:10 And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel,
Mark 16:19 So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God.
Acts 7:55 But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God,
Matthew 24:27 For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.
Acts 10:42 And He commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that it is He who was ordained by God to be Judge of the living and the dead.
2 Timothy 4:1 I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom:
2 Peter 1:11 for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
John 14:26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.
Acts 5:3-4 But Peter said, "Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself? While it remained, was it not your own? And after it was sold, was it not in your own control? Why have you conceived this thing in your heart: You have not lied to men but to God."
Genesis 1:2 The earth was invisible and unfinished; and darkness was over the deep. The Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the water.
John 15:26 But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me.
Matthew 3:16-17 When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."
1 Samuel 19:20 Then Saul sent messengers to take David. And when they saw the assembly of prophets and Samuel standing as leader over them, the Spirit of God came upon the messengers of Saul, and they also prophesied.
Ezekiel 11:5, 13 Then the Spirit of the Lord fell upon me and said to me, "Say this, 'Thus says the Lord: "Thus you have said, O house of Israel; for I know the deliberations of your spirit." Then it came to pass while I was prophesying that Pelatiah the son of Benaiah died. So I fell on my face and cried with a loud voice, "Alas, alas, O Lord? Will you make a complete end to the remnant of Israel?"
Matthew 16:18 And also I say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.
1 Peter 2:5, 9 you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;
Mark 16:15 And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature."
Acts 2:42 And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.
Ephesians 2:19-22 Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.
Ephesians 4:5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism
John 11:24 Martha said to Him, "I know that he will rise again in the ressurection at the last day."
1 Corinthians 15:12-49 (Please refer to your Orthodox Study Bible for this text.)
Hebrews 6:2 of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.
Revelation 20:5 But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
Mark 10:29-30 So Jesus answered and said, "Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My sake and the gospel's, who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time---houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions---and in the age to come, eternal life.
Psalm 106:48 Bless the Lord God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting. And all the people shall say, "Amen! Amen!"