The Creed of
Athanasius
The Athanasian Creed is that
latest of the ecumenical creeds, dating back to the early dark ages. Though
seldom used in worship, it is one of the clearest definitions of the Trinity and
the incarnation ever written.
1
Whosoever
will be saved,
before all things it is necessary that he hold the catholic
(universal) faith;
2
Which
faith except everyone do keep whole and undefiled,
without doubt he shall perish
everlastingly.
3
And the
catholic (universal) faith is this:
That we
worship one God in Trinity,
and
Trinity in Unity;
4
Neither confounding the Persons,
nor
dividing the Substance.
5
For
there is one Person of the Father,
another of
the Son,
and another of the Holy Spirit.
6
But the Godhead of the Father,
of the
Son,
and of the
Holy Spirit,
is all
one,
the glory equal,
the
majesty coeternal.
7
Such
as the Father is,
such is
the Son,
and such is the Holy Spirit.
8
The
Father uncreate,
the Son
uncreate,
and the Holy Spirit uncreate.
9
The Father
incomprehensible,
the Son
incomprehensible,
and the Holy Spirit incomprehensible.
10
The
Father eternal,
the Son
eternal,
and the Holy Spirit eternal.
11
And
yet they are not three eternals,
but one eternal.
12
As
also there are not three uncreated
nor three incomprehensibles,
but one
uncreated, and one incomprehensible.
13
So
likewise the Father is almighty,
the Son
almighty,
and the Holy Spirit almighty.
14
And
yet they are not three almighties,
but one almighty.
15
So
the Father is God,
the Son is
God,
and the Holy Spirit is God;
16
And
yet they are not three Gods,
but one God.
17
So
likewise the Father is Lord,
the Son
Lord,
and the Holy Spirit Lord;
18
And
yet not three Lords,
but one Lord.
19
For
like as we are compelled by the Christian
verity
to
acknowledge every Person by himself to be God
and Lord;
20
so
we are forbidden by the catholic (universal) religion to say,
there are
three Gods, or three Lords.
21
The
Father is made of none,
neither created, nor begotten.
22
The
Son is of the Father alone;
not made, nor created, but begotten.
23
The
Holy Spirit is of the Father and of the Son;
neither made, nor created, nor
begotten, but proceeding.
24
So
there is one Father, not three Fathers;
one Son,
not three Sons;
one Holy Spirit, not three Holy Spirits.
25
And
in this Trinity none is afore, or after another;
none is
greater, or less than another.
26
But
the whole three Persons are coeternal and coequal.
27
So that in
all things, as aforesaid,
the Unity in Trinity and the Trinity in Unity is
to be worshipped.
28
He
therefore that will be saved
must thus think of the Trinity.
29
Furthermore, it is necessary to everlasting salvation
that he also believe rightly the incarnation of
our Lord
Jesus Christ.
30
For the
right faith is that we believe and confess
that our
Lord Jesus Christ,
the Son of
God,
is God and
man.
31
God,
of the substance of the Father,
begotten
before the worlds;
and man, of the substance of His mother,
born in
the world.
32
Perfect God and perfect Man,
of a reasonable soul and
human flesh subsisting.
33
Equal to the Father, as touching His Godhead,
and
inferior to the Father, as touching His Manhood.
34
Who,
although He is God and Man,
yet He is not two, but one Christ.
35
One,
not by conversion of the Godhead into flesh,
but by taking of that manhood
into God.
36
One
altogether,
not by confusion of substance,
but by
unity of Person.
37
For
as the reasonable soul and flesh is one man,
so God and man is one
Christ;
38
Who
suffered for our salvation,
descended
into hell, *
rose again the third day from the
dead;
39
He
ascended into heaven,
He sitteth
on the right hand of the Father, God, Almighty;
40
from
thence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead.
41
At
whose coming all men shall rise again with their bodies;
42
and
shall give account of their own works.
43
And
they that have done good shall go into life everlasting
and they that have
done evil into everlasting fire.
44
This
is the catholic (universal) faith,
which
except a man believe faithfully
he cannot be saved.
Amen.
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