The Nicene Creed

The Nicene Creed, confessed weekly in the Divine Service, is a summary of what the one, holy, Christian, and apostolic Church believes, teaches, and confesses about the Triune God. It is called Nicene because, in its original form, it was adopted in the city of Nicaea by the first ecumenical council, which met there in A.D. 325. Athanasius and the church fathers chose each word and phrase carefully to protect, defend, and confess the Scriptural faith handed down to us from the prophets and apostles. This creed explicitly confesses that Jesus is true God in opposition to Arius, who claimed that Jesus was created by God.

Below is a Scriptural look at the Nicene Creed, prepared by Richard Gilbert of Hacienda Heights, California.

The Nicene Creed According to the Scriptures

I believe
Romans 10:9, James 2:19, John 14:1

in one God,
Deuteronomy 6:4, Isaiah 44:6

the Father
Isaiah 63:16, 2 Peter 1:17, Matthew 6:9

Almighty,
Genesis 17:1, Psalm 91:1, Revelation 4:8

Maker
Job 4:17, 35:10, Isaiah 17:7, 54:5

of heaven
Genesis 1:1, 8

and earth
Psalm 104:5, Jeremiah 51:15

and of all things
Genesis 1:31

visible and invisible.
Psalm 89:11-12, Amos 4:13, Revelation 3:5, Colossians 1:16

And in one Lord
Ephesians 4:5

Jesus Christ,
Acts 10:36, 11:17, Romans 1:7, 5:1, 1 Corinthians 1:2, 6:11, 2 Corinthians 1:2, 8:9, Galatians 1:3, 6:14, Ephesians 1:2, 3:11, Phililppians 1:2, 3:20, Colossians 1:3, 2:6, 1 Thessalonians 1:1, 5:9, 2 Thessalonians 1:1, 2:14, 1 Timothy 6:3, 14, 2 Timothy 1:2, Philemon 1:3, 25, Hebrews 13:20, James 1:1, 2:1, 1 Peter 1:3, 3:15, 2 Peter 1:8, 14, Jude 17, 21, Revelation 22:20-21

the only-begotton
John 1:18

Son of God,
Matthew 3:17, John 3:16

begotten of His Father
Hebrews 1:5

before all worlds,
John 1:1, Colossians 1:17, 1 John 1:1

begotten,
John 1:1, Hebrews 1:5

not made,
Micah 5:2, John 1:18, 17:5

being of one substance with the Father,
John 10:30, 14:9

by whom all things were made;
1 Corinthians 8:6, Colossians 1:16

who for us men
Matthew 20:28, John 10:10

and for our salvation
Matthew 1:21, Luke 19:10

came down from heaven
Romans 10:6, Ephesians 4:10

and was incarnate
Colossians 2:9

by the Holy Spirit
Matthew 1:18

of the Virgin Mary
Luke 1:34-35

and was made man;
John 1:14

and was crucified
Matthew 20:19, John 19:18, Romans 5:6, 8, 2 Corinthians 13:4

also for us
Romans 5:8, 2 Corinthians 5:15

under Pontius Pilate.
Matthew 27:2, 26, 1 Timothy 6:13

He suffered
1 Peter 2:21, Hebrews 2:10

and was buried.
Mark 15:46, 1 Cor. 15:4

And the third day
Matthew 27:63, 28:1, 1 Corinthians 15:4

He rose again
Mark 16:6, 2 Timothy 2:8

according to the Scriptures
Psalm 16:10, Luke 24:25-27, 1 Corinthians 15:4

and ascended
Luke 24:51, Acts 1:9

into heaven
Mark 16:19, Acts 1:11

and sits at the right hand of the Father.
Psalm 110:1, Matthew 26:64, Acts 7:56, Hebrews 1:3

And He will come again
John 14:3, 1 Thessalonians 4:16

with glory
Matthew 16:27, 24:30, 25:31, 26:64, Mark 8:38, Colossians 3:4

to judge
Matthew 25:31-46, Acts 17:31

both the living and the dead,
Acts 10:42, 1 Peter 4:5

whose kingdom
John 18:36, 2 Timothy 4:1, 18

will have no end.
Luke 1:33, Revelation 11:15, Psalm 145:13

And I believe in the Holy Spirit,
Matthew 28:19, Acts 13:2

The Lord
2 Corinthians 3:17

and giver of life,
John 6:63, Rom. 7:6, 8:2, 2 Cor. 3:6

who proceeds from the Father
John 14:16-17

and the Son,
John 15:26, Romans 8:9, Galatians 4:6

who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped
Luke 4:8, John 4:24

and glorified
John 4:24, 1 Timothy 1:17

who spoke by the prophets.
1 Peter 1:10-11, 2 Peter 1:21

And I believe in one
1 Corinthians 10:16-17, 12:12-13

Holy
Ephesians 3:16-17, 5:27, 1 Peter 2:9

catholic
1 Corinthians 1:2

and Apostolic
Ephesians 2:20, Revelation 21:14

Church,
Acts 20:28, Ephesians 1:22-23, Colossians. 1:24, Hebrews 12:23, 1 Peter 2:9

I acknowledge one Baptism
John 3:5, Romans 6:3, Ephesians 4:5

for the remission of sins,
Acts 2:38, 1 Peter 3:21, Titus 3:5

and I look for the resurrection of the dead
1 Thessalonians 4:16, 1 Corinthians 15:12-13, 16, 52

and the life of the world to come.
1 Corinthians 15:54-57, Revelation 22:5

Amen.
Psalm 41:13, 2 Corinthians 1:20.