Apostles' Creed
The Apostles' Creed was written hundreds of years ago by Christians, as a summary of what it means to be a Christian. It is often recited in Christian churches today. The creed is not found in the Bible but is intended to be a summary of Christian beliefs:
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
maker 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 into hell.
The third day he rose again from the dead.
He ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty.
From there he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy Christian Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.
NOTE: The reference to Jesus as having "descended into hell" appears to be based on the Bible passage found in 1 Peter 3:18-20. In the introductory pages of "The Concordia Self-Study Bible NIV," an explanation of the Apostles' Creed says that Jesus descended into hell "not to suffer or to offer deceased souls a second chance, but to proclaim his lordship." The Apostles' Creed is not contained in the Bible. It is the work of early Christians who wanted to create a summary, based on various Bible passages, to explain to others what it means to be a Christian.
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