Apostles’ and Nicene Creeds
The Apostles’ and Nicene Creeds are the first two of the three Ecumenical Creeds of the church catholic. The Creeds themselves form the rule of faith for the Christian church, a distillation of the basics of the faith as drawn from Scripture. Below, we’ve broken down the Apostles’ and Nicene Creeds by section and provided the Biblical texts from which these sections are drawn. The Creeds are drawn from the Scriptures themselves. We’ll note that the references below are not exhaustive.
Article I: God the Father, Creation
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- Apostles’ Creed: I believe
- Nicene Creed: I believe
- Scripture: Rom. 10:9, Jas 2:19, John 14:1
- Hymn: Sing Praise to God, The Highest Good (LSB 819)
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- Apostles’ Creed: in God,
- Nicene Creed: in one God,
- Scripture: Deut. 6:4, Isaiah 44:6
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- Apostles’ Creed: the Father
- Nicene Creed: the Father
- Scripture: Isaiah 63:16, 2 Pet. 1:17, Mt. 6:9
- Hymn: Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise (LSB 802)
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- Apostles’ Creed: Almighty,
- Nicene Creed: Almighty,
- Scripture: Gen. 1:7:1, Ps 9:1:1, Rev. 4:8
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- Apostles’ Creed: Maker
- Nicene Creed: Maker
- Scripture: Job 4:17, 35:10, Isaiah 17:7, 54:5
- Hymn: Praise to the Lord, the Almighty (LSB 790)
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- Apostles’ Creed: of heaven
- Nicene Creed: of heaven
- Scripture: Gen. 1:1, 1:8
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- Apostles’ Creed: and earth
- Nicene Creed: and earth
- Scripture: Ps. 104:5, Jer. 51:15
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- Nicene Creed: and all things
- Scripture: Gen. 1:31
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- Apostles’ Creed: visible and invisible.
- Scripture: Ps. 89:11-12, Amos 4:13, Rev. 3:5, Col. 1:16
Article II: Redemption
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- Apostles’ Creed: suffered*
- Nicene Creed: He suffered
- Scripture: 1 Pet. 2:21, Heb. 2:10
- Hymn: O Sacred Head, Now Wounded (LSB 450)
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- Apostles’ Creed: died
- Scripture: Mt. 27:50, Mark 15:37, Luke 23:46, John 19:30, 19:33, Rom. 5:6, 6:3, 1 Cor. 11:26, 15:3
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- Apostles’ Creed: and was buried.
- Nicene Creed: and was buried.
- Scripture: Mark 15:46, 1 Cor. 15:4
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- Apostles’ Creed: He descended into hell.
- Scripture: 1 Pet. 3:19, Eph. 4:9
- Hymn: Christ is the World’s Redeemer (LSB 539)
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- Apostles’ Creed: The third day
- Nicene Creed: And the third day
- Scripture: Mt. 27:63, 28:1, 1 Cor. 15:4
- Hymn: Christ Jesus Lay in Death’s Strong Bands (LSB 458)
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- Apostles’ Creed: He rose again from the dead.
- Nicene Creed: He rose again
- Scripture: Mark 16:6, 2 Tim. 2:8
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- Nicene Creed: according to the Scriptures
- Scripture: Ps. 16:10, Luke 24:25-27, 1 Cor. 15:4
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- Apostles’ Creed: He ascended into heaven
- Nicene Creed: He ascended into heaven
- Scripture: Mark 16:19, Luke 24:51, Acts 1:9, Heb. 4:14, 9:24
- Hymn: Up Through Endless Ranks of Angels (LSB 491)
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- Apostles’ Creed: and sits at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty.
- Nicene Creed: and sits at the right hand of the Father.
- Scripture: Ps. 110:1, Mt. 26:64, Mark 16:19, Acts 7:55-56, Rom. 8:34, Heb. 1:3, 1 Pet. 3:22
Article III: God the Holy Spirit, Sanctification
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- Apostles’ Creed: I believe in the Holy Spirit
- Nicene Creed: I believe in the Holy Spirit
- Scripture: John 14:17, Acts 5:3-4
- Hymn: Creator Spirit, by Whose Aid (LSB 500)
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- Apostles’ Creed: the holy Christian Church,
- Nicene Creed: the Lord and Giver of life, Who proceeds from the Father and the Son, Who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified,
- Scripture: Mt. 16:18, Acts 5:9, 1 Cor. 3:16, 2 Cor. 6:16, Eph. 1:22-23, 5:25-27, Col. 1:18, 2:19, 1 Tim. 3:15, Heb. 12:23, 1 Pet. 2:5, 9, Rev. 21:2
- Hymn: Built on the Rock (LSB 644)