Source-language versions of the Nicene Creed

The Nicene Creed, first composed in 325 and revised in 381, is a creed that summarises the orthodox faith of the Christian Church. It was written in Greek, and this remains the definitive source version for all churches that recognise it. Some churches also view another ancient-language form as definitive; in particular, the Latin version is used by the Roman Catholic Church and some Protestant churches, while the Armenian version is used by the Armenian Orthodox Church.

Greek version

The Creed was originally written in Greek, owing to the location of the two councils. Though the councils' texts have "polytonic|Πιστεύομεν ... ὁμολογοῦμεν ... προσδοκοῦμεν" ("we" believe ... confess ... await), the Creed that the Greek Church uses in its liturgy has "polytonic|Πιστεύω ... ὁμολογῶ ... προσδοκῶ" ("I" believe ... confess ... await), accentuating the personal nature of recitation of the Creed.

:Polytonic|Πιστεύω εἰς ἕνα Θεόν, Πατέρα, Παντοκράτορα, ποιητὴν οὐρανοῦ καὶ γῆς, ὁρατῶν τε πάντων καὶ ἀοράτων.

:Polytonic|Καὶ εἰς ἕνα Κύριον Ἰησοῦν Χριστόν, τὸν Υἱὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ τὸν μονογενῆ, τὸν ἐκ τοῦ Πατρὸς γεννηθέντα πρὸ πάντων τῶν αἰώνων· :Polytonic|φῶς ἐκ φωτός, Θεὸν ἀληθινὸν ἐκ Θεοῦ ἀληθινοῦ, γεννηθέντα οὐ ποιηθέντα, ὁμοούσιον τῷ Πατρί, δι' οὗ τὰ πάντα ἐγένετο.:Polytonic|Τὸν δι' ἡμᾶς τοὺς ἀνθρώπους καὶ διὰ τὴν ἡμετέραν σωτηρίαν κατελθόντα ἐκ τῶν οὐρανῶν καὶ σαρκωθέντα :Polytonic|ἐκ Πνεύματος Ἁγίου καὶ Μαρίας τῆς Παρθένου καὶ ἐνανθρωπήσαντα.:Polytonic|Σταυρωθέντα τε ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν ἐπὶ Ποντίου Πιλάτου, καὶ παθόντα καὶ ταφέντα.:Polytonic|Καὶ ἀναστάντα τῇ τρίτῃ ἡμέρα κατὰ τὰς Γραφάς.:Polytonic|Καὶ ἀνελθόντα εἰς τοὺς οὐρανοὺς καὶ καθεζόμενον ἐκ δεξιῶν τοῦ Πατρός.:Polytonic|Καὶ πάλιν ἐρχόμενον μετὰ δόξης κρῖναι ζῶντας καὶ νεκρούς, οὗ τῆς βασιλείας οὐκ ἔσται τέλος.

:Polytonic|Καὶ εἰς τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ Ἅγιον, τὸ κύριον, τὸ ζωοποιόν, :Polytonic|τὸ ἐκ τοῦ Πατρὸς ἐκπορευόμενον, :Polytonic|τὸ σὺν Πατρὶ καὶ Υἱῷ συμπροσκυνούμενον καὶ συνδοξαζόμενον, :Polytonic|τὸ λαλῆσαν διὰ τῶν προφητῶν.

:Polytonic|Εἰς μίαν, Ἁγίαν, Καθολικὴν καὶ Ἀποστολικὴν Ἐκκλησίαν.:Polytonic|Ὁμολογῶ ἓν βάπτισμα εἰς ἄφεσιν ἁμαρτιῶν.:Polytonic|Προσδοκῶ ἀνάστασιν νεκρῶν.:Polytonic|Καὶ ζωὴν τοῦ μέλλοντος αἰῶνος.:Polytonic|Ἀμήν. [ [http://www.goarch.org/en/chapel/liturgical_texts/ordination-bishop-gr.asp Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America: Liturgical Texts] , [http://www.myriobiblos.gr/texts/greek/chrysostom_liturgy7.htm Church of Greece: Chrysostom Liturgy] ]

=Latin version (from present-day Missale Romanum)=

:Credo in unum Deum,:Patrem omnipoténtem,:factórem cæli et terræ,:visibílium ómnium et invisibílium.:Et in unum Dóminum Iesum Christum,:Fílium Dei Unigénitum,:et ex Patre natum ante ómnia sæcula.:Deum de Deo, lumen de lúmine, Deum verum de Deo vero,:génitum, non factum, consubstantiálem Patri::per quem ómnia facta sunt.:Qui propter nos hómines et propter nostram salútem:descéndit de cælis.:Et incarnátus est de Spíritu Sancto:ex María Vírgine, et homo factus est.:Crucifíxus étiam pro nobis sub Póntio Piláto;:passus, et sepúltus est,:et resurréxit tértia die, secúndum Scriptúras,:et ascéndit in cælum, sedet ad déxteram Patris.:Et íterum ventúrus est cum glória,:iudicáre vivos et mórtuos,:cuius regni non erit finis.:Et in Spíritum Sanctum, Dóminum et vivificántem::qui ex Patre Filióque procédit.:Qui cum Patre et Fílio simul adorátur et conglorificátur::qui locútus est per prophétas.:Et unam, sanctam, cathólicam et apostólicam Ecclésiam.:Confíteor unum baptísma in remissiónem peccatorum.:Et expecto resurrectionem mortuorum,:et vitam ventúri sæculi. Amen.

References