Skip to content
Pentecost
Ancient Creed

The Apostles' Creed

c. 2nd–8th C.

The ancient baptismal creed of the Western Church — a brief summary of the apostolic faith. Not written by the apostles themselves, but received as a faithful summary of their teaching; it reached its present form by roughly the eighth century.

Full Text

The Apostles' Creed grew out of the questions put to candidates at baptism in the early Western Church. It is not the work of the twelve apostles, despite the later legend; it is called 'apostolic' because it summarizes the faith the apostles preached. It is recited across Roman Catholic, Lutheran, Anglican, and many other Protestant traditions.

The Text

I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven, he is seated at the right hand of the Father, and he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
Translation & Variants

The word 'catholic' here means 'universal' — the whole Church of all times and places — not the Roman Catholic Church specifically; this is how every tradition that recites the creed understands the word. The line 'he descended to the dead' appears in some traditions as 'he descended into hell'; the older English 'hell' renders the same clause about Christ's descent.

Historical Context

The creed's structure is trinitarian — Father, Son, and Holy Spirit — which reflects its origin in the threefold baptismal questions of the early Church: 'Do you believe in God the Father…? Do you believe in Jesus Christ…? Do you believe in the Holy Spirit…?' The candidate answered, and was baptized.