Apostle's Creed
The Apostles' Creed was not written by the Biblical Disciples. The name is deemed this as a sum and substance of the early Apostolic teaching which the disciples would have held to. Earliest version found is A.D. 215. The current version is circa 542 A.D.
I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
the Creator of heaven and earth,
and in Jesus Christ,
His only Son, Our Lord:
Who was conceived of the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended into hell. [1]
The third day He arose again from the dead.
He ascended into heaven
and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty,
whence He shall come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic [2] church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and life everlasting.
Amen.
End Notes:
1. "Descended into hell" does not refer to literally going down into the bowels of hell itself to be subject to the devil (which is the position of many heretical and charismatic preachers today). Rather, it is a poetic way of stating that Christ truly and assuredly died on the cross.
2. The word "catholic" refers not to the Roman Catholic Church, but to the universal church of the Lord Jesus Christ.
