Athanasian Creed

Whosoever will be saved before all things, it is necessary that he hold the Catholick Faith,

which Faith unless every one do keep undefiled, without doubt he shall perish everlastingly.

And the Catholick Faith is this, That we worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity,

neither confounding the Persons, nor dividing the Substance.

For there is one Person of the Father, another of the Son, another of the Holy Ghost,

but the Godhead of the Father, of the Son, of the Holy Ghost is all one, the Glory equal, the Majesty coeternal.

Such as the Father is, such is the Son, such is the Holy Ghost.

The Father uncreate, the Son uncreate, the Holy Ghost uncreate.

The Father incomprehensible, the Son incomprehensible, the Holy Ghost incomprehensible.

The Father eternal, the Son eternal, the Holy Ghost eternal,

yet are they not three eternals, but one eternal.

Also there is not three incomprehensibles, nor three uncreated, but one uncreated, and one incomprehensible.

So likewise the Father is Almighty, the Son is Almighty, the Holy Ghost is Almighty,

yet they are not three Almighties, but one Almighty.

So likewise the Father is Lord, the Son is Lord, the Holy Ghost is Lord;

yet are they not three Lords, but one Lord.

For like as we are compelled by the Christian Verity to acknowledg every Person by himself to be God and Lord,

so are we forbidden by the Catholick Religion to say there be three Gods, or three Lords.

The Father is made of none, neither created, nor begotten.

The Son is of the Father alone, not made nor created, but begotten.

The Holy Ghost is of the Father, and the Son, neither made nor created, nor begotten but proceeding.

So there is one Father, not three Fathers; one Son, not three Sons; one Holy Ghost, not three Holy Ghosts.

And in this Trinity none are afore nor after another, none is greater or less then another,

but the whole three Persons be coeternal and coequal.

So that in all things as is aforesaid, the Unity in Trinity, and the Trinity in Unity is to be worshipped.

He therefore that will be saved, must thus think of the Trinity.

Furthermore ’tis necessary to everlasting Life, that we also rightly believe the Incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ.

For the Right Faith is, that we believe and confess, that our Lord Jesus Christ the Son of God is God and Man,

God of the Substance of the Father, begotten before the World, and Man of the Substance of his Mother born in the World;

perfect God, and perfect Man, of a reasonable Soul and Humane Flesh subsisting;

equal to the Father as touching his Godhead, Inferior to the Father as touching his Manhood;

who although he be God and Man, yet is not two, but one Christ;

one, not by convertion of the Godhead into Flesh, but by taking of the Manhood into God;

one altogether not by confusion of Substance, but by Unity of Person.

For as the reasonable Soul, and Flesh is one Man, so God and Man is one Christ,

who suffered for our Salvation, descended into Hell, rose again the third Day from the dead,

he ascended into Heaven, sitteth on the Right-Hand of God the Father Almighty,

from whence he shall come to judg the quick and the dead.

At whose coming all Men shall rise again with their Bodies,

and give an Account for their own Works:

and them that have done good, shall go into Life everlasting; and them that have done Evil, into everlasting Fire.

This is the Catholick Faith &c. Which every one should believe faithfully.