The
Athanasian Creed
(fourth-fifth centuries A.D.)
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Whoever will be saved: before all things it is necessary that he hold the
Catholic Faith:
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Which Faith except every one do keep whole and undefiled: without doubt
he shall perish everlastingly.
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And the Catholic Faith is this: That we worship one God in Trinity, and
Trinity in Unity;
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Neither confounding the Persons: nor dividing the Substance.
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For there is one Person of the Father, another of the Son, and another
of the Holy Spirit.
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But the Godhead of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, is all
one: the Glory equal, the Majesty coeternal.
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Such as the Father is: such is the Son: and such is the Holy Spirit.
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The Father uncreated: the Son uncreated: and the Holy Spirit uncreated.
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The Father incomprehensible: the Son incomprehensible: and the Holy Spirit
incomprehensible.
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The Father eternal: the Son eternal: and the Holy Spirit eternal.
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And yet they are not three eternals: but one eternal.
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And also there are not three uncreated: nor three uncomprehensibles, but
one uncreated: and one incomprehensible.
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So likewise the Father is Almighty: the Son Almighty: and the Holy Spirit
Almighty.
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And yet they are not three Almighties: but one Almighty.
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So the Father is God: the Son is God: and the Holy Spirit is God.
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And yet they are not three Gods: but one God.
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So likewise the Father is Lord: the Son Lord: and the Holy Spirit Lord.
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And yet not three Lords: but one Lord.
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For like as we are compelled by the Christian verity: to acknowledge every
Person by himself to be God and Lord:
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So we are forbidden by the Catholic Religion: to say, There be three Gods,
or three Lords.
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The Father is made of none: neither created, nor begotten.
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The Son is of the Father alone: not made, nor created: but begotten.
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The Holy Spirit is of the Father and of the Son: neither made, nor created,
nor begotten: but proceeding.
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For there is one Father, not three Fathers: one Son, not three Sons: one
Holy Spirit, not three holy Spirits.
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And in this Trinity none is afore, or after another: none is greater, or
less than another.
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But the whole three Persons are coeternal, and coequal.
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So that in all things, as aforesaid: the Unity in Trinity, and the Trinity
in Unity, is to be worshipped.
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He therefore that will be saved, must thus think of the Trinity.
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Furthermore it is necessary to everlasting salvation: that he also believe
rightly the Incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ.
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For the right Faith is, that we believe and confess: that our Lord Jesus
Christ, the Son of God, is God and Man.
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God, of the Substance of the Father; begotten before the worlds: and Man,
of the Substance of his Mother, born in the world.
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Perfect God: and perfect Man, of a reasonable soul and human flesh subsisting.
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Equal to the Father, as touching his Godhead: and inferior to the Father
as touching his Manhood.
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Who although he be God and Man; yet he is not two, but one Christ.
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One; not by conversion of the Godhead into flesh: but by taking of the
Manhood into God.
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One altogether; not by confusion of Substance: but by unity of Person.
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For as the reasonable soul and flesh is one man; so God and Man is one
Christ;
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Who suffered for our salvation: descended into hell: rose again the third
day from the dead.
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He ascended in heaven, he sitteth on the right hand of the Father God Almighty.
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From whence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.
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At whose coming all men shall rise again with their bodies;
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And shall give account for their own works.
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And they that have done good shall go into life everlasting: and they that
have done evil, into everlasting fire.
This is the Catholic Faith: which except a man believe faithfully, he can
not be saved.