The Creed of Saint Athanasius

Quicunque Vult

  1. Whosoever will be saved : before all things it is necessary that he hold the Catholick Faith.
  2. Which Faith except every one do keep whole and undefiled : without doubt he shall perish everlastingly.
  3. And the Catholick Faith is this : That we worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity;
  4. Neither confounding the Persons : nor dividing the Substance.
  5. For there is one Person of the Father, another of the Son : and another of the Holy Ghost.
  6. But the Godhead of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, is all one : the Glory equal, the Majesty co-eternal.
  7. Such as the Father is, such is the Son : and such is the Holy Ghost.
  8. The Father uncreate, the Son uncreate : and the Holy Ghost uncreate.
  9. The Father incomprehensible, the Son incomprehensible : and the Holy Ghost incomprehensible.
  10. The Father eternal, the Son eternal : and the Holy Ghost eternal.
  11. And yet they are not three eternals : but one eternal.
  12. As also there are not three incomprehensibles, nor three uncreated : but one uncreated, and one incomprehensible.
  13. So likewise the Father is Almighty, the Son Almighty : and the Holy Ghost Almighty.
  14. And yet they are not three Almighties : but one Almighty.
  15. So the Father is God, the Son is God : and the Holy Ghost is God.
  16. And yet they are not three Gods : but one God.
  17. So likewise the Father is Lord, the Son Lord : and the Holy Ghost Lord.
  18. And yet not three Lords : but one Lord.
  19. For like as we are compelled by the Christian verity : to acknowledge every Person by himself to be God and Lord;
  20. So are we forbidden by the Catholick Religion : to say, There be three Gods, or three Lords.
  21. The Father is made of none : neither created, nor begotten.
  22. The Son is of the Father alone : not made, nor created, but begotten.
  23. The Holy Ghost is of the Father and of the Son : neither made, nor created, nor begotten, but proceeding.
  24. So there is one Father, not three Fathers; one Son, not three Sons : one Holy Ghost, not three Holy Ghosts.
  25. And in this Trinity none is afore, or after other : none is greater, or less than another;
  26. But the whole three Persons are co-eternal together : and co-equal.
  27. So that in all things, as is aforesaid : the Unity in Trinity, and the Trinity in Unity is to be worshipped.
  28. He therefore that will be saved : must thus think of the Trinity.
  29. Furthermore, it is necessary to everlasting salvation : that he also believe rightly the Incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ.
  30. For the right Faith is, that we believe and confess : that our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is God and Man;
  31. God, of the Substance of the Father, begotten before the worlds : and Man, of the Substance of his Mother, born in the world;
  32. Perfect God, and perfect Man : of a reasonable soul and human flesh subsisting;
  33. Equal to the Father, as touching his Godhead : and inferior to the Father, as touching his Manhood.
  34. Who although he be God and Man : yet he is not two, but one Christ;
  35. One; not by conversion of the Godhead into flesh : but by taking of the Manhood into God;
  36. One altogether; not by confusion of Substance : but by unity of Person.
  37. For as the reasonable soul and flesh is one man : so God and Man is one Christ;
  38. Who suffered for our salvation : descended into hell, rose again the third day from the dead.
  39. He ascended into heaven, he sitteth on the right hand of the Father, God Almighty : from whence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.
  40. At whose coming all men shall rise again with their bodies : and shall give account for their own works.
  41. And they that have done good shall go into life everlasting : and they that have done evil into everlasting fire.
  42. This is the Catholick Faith : which except a man believe faithfully, he cannot be saved.
  43. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son : and to the Holy Ghost;
  44. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be : world without end. Amen.