Foundational Protestant Prayer

Nicene Creed

The Nicene Creed is a historic Christian confession of faith received across many branches of Christianity. Many Protestant traditions use it in worship, teaching, discipleship, and doctrinal formation.

Historical setting

The Nicene Creed is one of the most widely recognized statements of Christian faith. It is historically connected with the early church councils of Nicaea and Constantinople and has been used for centuries to summarize core Christian belief.

Its themes include faith in God the Father, Jesus Christ the Son, the Holy Spirit, the church, baptism, resurrection, and the life of the world to come.

The Nicene Creed

We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father; through him all things were made.

For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven, was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary and became truly human.

For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.

He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets.

We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.

Source note

English translation from the English Language Liturgical Consultation (ELLC), 1988. This text is in the public domain and may be reproduced without permission.