The Apostles' Creed text and printable slides

The Apostles’ Creed is a Christian confession of faith in the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, used in baptism and public worship. The full 1662 text appears below with a printable PDF and slides.

Print and slides

Download the ProPresenter text file for text import. Congregational words use two phrase lines per slide. Instructions for the leader stay in the PDF.

Which version is printed here?

This is the historic English wording in the 1662 Book of Common Prayer. It uses ‘Holy Ghost’ for Holy Spirit, ‘Catholick’ for the universal church, and ‘quick’ for the living. Preserve the spelling if you identify the text as this edition. Read your church’s approved version before replacing the words it normally says.

Does catholic mean Roman Catholic here?

In the creed, catholic means universal. Christians confess one church belonging to Christ across nations and generations. The word in this text does not name a modern denomination.

What does descended into hell mean?

Churches explain this clause differently in their catechisms and confessions. Ask the pastor to teach the meaning used in your church before the congregation recites it. Keep the clause in a quoted historic text. If your congregation uses different wording, label that version and its source in the bulletin.

When should a church say the creed?

Place it where the service leader has planned a confession of faith, often after Scripture or at baptism. Tell guests that the congregation will say it together and give them the words. Read at speaking pace so a visitor can follow a sentence without guessing when the room will move on.

The Apostles’ Creed

AllI believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth: And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord, Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, Born of the Virgin Mary, Suffered under Pontius Pilate, Was crucified, dead, and buried: He descended into hell; The third day he rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, And sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost; The holy Catholick Church; The Communion of Saints; The Forgiveness of sins; The Resurrection of the body, And the Life everlasting. Amen.

I believe in God the Father Almighty,Maker of heaven and earth:

All

And in Jesus Christhis only Son our Lord,

All

Prepare the service

Give readers the 1662 text used here before rehearsal. Explain “Catholick” and “quick” before the service, and agree on the pace for the congregation’s response.

Sources and permission

Historic text from the 1662 Book of Common Prayer, public domain in the United States. Keep the edition label when sharing it.