From the Shema to the Homoousios: The Biblical Roots of the Nicene Creed

The Nicene Creed is the most universally accepted statement of the Christian faith. While it was formulated by church councils in the 4th century to clarify theology, every line traces its roots back to the Jewish scriptures and the New Testament.

Below is the full text of the Creed, followed by a detailed chart provided by Robert M. Bowman Jr., which maps the phrases of the Creed directly to their biblical origins.

The Nicene Creed (381 AD)

We believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible.

And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds, God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father; by whom all things were made; who for us men, and for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary, and was made man; and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate; He suffered and was buried; and the third day He rose again according to the Scriptures; and ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of the Father; and He shall come again, with glory, to judge the quick and the dead; whose kingdom shall have no end.

And I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver of Life; who proceedeth from the Father and the Son; who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified; who spake by the Prophets.

And I believe one holy catholic and apostolic Church. I acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins; and I look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.

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The Jewish Roots and New Testament Origins

The following table demonstrates the scriptural support for the statements made in the Creed.

Creedal Phrase	Biblical References
We believe in one God, the Father	Deut. 6:4; 1 Cor. 8:6; Matt. 28:19; Eph. 4:5, 6; Acts 2:33
The Almighty	Rev. 4:8, 11
Maker of heaven and earth,	Exod. 20:11; Acts 17:24–25; Rom. 1:20
of all things both visible and invisible	Col. 1:16
And in one Lord Jesus Christ	Deut. 6:4; 1 Cor. 8:6; Matt. 28:19; Eph. 4:5; Acts 2:21, 36
the Son of God, the only-begotten,	John 1:14; 3:16, 18
begotten from the Father before all the ages,	cf. John 1:1, 2; also Heb. 1:2
that is, from the substance of the Father,	Cf. John 1:14; Phil. 2:6
God from God,	John 1:1b, 1c
Light from Light, true God from true God	John 1:4–5, 7–9; John 17:3; 1 John 5:20
begotten, not made	John 1:3, 14
consubstantial (homoousion) with the Father;	Cf. John 1:14; see also Phil. 2:6
through whom all things came to be	John 1:3, 10; 1 Cor. 8:6b; Col. 1:16; Heb. 1:2
both things in heaven and things on earth;	Col. 1:16
who for us humans and for our salvation	1 Cor. 15:3; Rom. 5:8; Eph. 5:2; Titus 2:14
came down from the heavens,	John 6:31-58; 16:27–28
and became incarnate	John 1:14
from the Holy Spirit and the virgin Mary,	Matt. 1:18–20; Luke 1:35
and was made [became] human	Phil. 2:6–7; cf. John 1:14
was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate,	Acts 2:23; Phil. 2:8
suffered, and was buried;	1 Cor. 15:3–4
and rose the third day,	Acts 2:32; 1 Cor. 15:4; 1 Peter 3:21
according to the Scriptures,	Cf. Acts 2:16, 25; 1 Cor. 15:4
and ascended into the heavens;	Acts 2:33–34 (cf. 1:9–11); Eph. 4:8–10; 1 Peter 3:22a
and sits at the right hand of the Father;	Acts 2:33; 1 Peter 3:22b
and will come again with glory	Matt. 16:27; Mark 8:38; 2 Thess. 1:7–10
to judge the living and the dead;	Acts 2:35;(https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+10%3A42); 2 Tim. 4:1
of whose kingdom there will be no end.	Luke 1:33; 2 Peter 1:11; Rev. 11:15
And in the Holy Spirit,	Matt. 28:19; Eph. 4:4; Acts 2:33, 38
The Lord and life-giver,	2 Cor. 3:16–18; John 6:63; 2 Cor. 3:6
Who proceeds from the Father,	John 15:26
Worshipped and glorified with the Father and the Son,	Cf. John 4:21–24; Phil. 3:3; contrast Matt. 12:21–22; Heb. 10:29
Who spoke through the prophets;	Acts 1:16;(https://www.google.com/search?q=https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/%3Fsearch%3DActs%2B28%253A25); 2 Peter 1:21; cf. Acts 2:18
In one holy, catholic, and apostolic church.	Eph. 4:4; Rom. 12:4–5; 1 Cor. 12:12–14; Col. 3:15
We confess one baptism for the remission of sins.	Acts 2:38; Eph. 4:5
We look forward to the resurrection of the dead,	Eph. 4:4; Mark 10:30; 1 Cor. 15:12–13, 21, 42
and the life of the age to come. Amen.	(Included in previous references)

Key:

• Normal text: Phrases found in the original Creed of Nicaea (325 AD) and the 381 Creed.

• Italics: Phrases added in the Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed (381 AD).

• Underlined (in original document): Phrases only in the Creed of Nicaea (325) [Note: "that is, from the substance of the Father," and "both things in heaven and things on earth"].

• Bold References: Indicates major passages.