The Nicene Creed is a statement of faith that Christian leaders first agreed on at the Council of Nicaea in 325 A.D. The creed was written in response to a popular heresy about Jesus Christ and the Trinity. It is the only creed affirmed by Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Anglican, and most Protestant churches. Churches throughout the centuries have recited it as a confession of faith during baptism and the Eucharist.

While the Nicene Creed itself is not in the Bible, it summarizes biblical truths. Many churches still recite the creed in weekly services today, reminding congregations about the foundation of their faith as well as how faith in Jesus unites the global church. Using the creed is still useful today because the heresy it was first designed to fight still exists in the church.

The complete creed is below. It includes the words “and the Son” in the depiction of the Holy Spirit, referred to as the Filioque statement. This statement was added after another gathering in 489 A.D.

I believe in one God,
the Father almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all things visible and invisible.
I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ,
the Only Begotten Son of God,
born of the Father before all ages.
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father;
through him all things were made.
For us men and for our salvation
he came down from heaven,
and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary,
and became man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate,
he suffered death and was buried,
and rose again on the third day
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.
I 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 adored and glorified,
who has spoken through the prophets.
I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church.
I confess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins
and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead
and the life of the world to come.

Amen.