The Chalcedonian Definition

Therefore, following the holy fathers,

we proclaim in agreement with them all

to confess one and the same Son,

Matt 16:16

our Lord Jesus Christ.

the one complete in divinity

Col 2:9

and the one complete in humanity

Heb 2:17

—the one truly God

John 1:1

    and truly man,

1 Tim 2:5

from a rational soul and body,

Luke 23:46

the same substance with the Father

John 10:30

    according to divinity,

and the same substance with us

Heb 2:14

    according to humanity,

like us in all things—except for sin;

Heb 4:15

begotten from the Father before the ages

John 1:18

    according to divinity,

but in these last days,

    for us and for our salvation,

1 Tim 1:15

    from the Virgin Mary

Luke 1:34-35

    the Mother of God according to humanity,

Luke 1:43

one and the same

John 3:16

    Christ, Son, Lord, only begotten,

recognised in two natures,

Rom 1:3-4

    without confusion

Luke 24:39

    without change,

Heb 13:8

    without division,

John 1:14

    without separation;

John 10:30

in no way is the distinction of the natures

Phil 2:6-7

    removed through the union

but rather the property of each nature

Matt 8:26-27

    is preserved

and comes together

John 8:58

    into one person and one subsistence,

not divided or separated

John 14:9

    into two persons,

but one and the same Son and only begotten,

John 1:14

    God the Word,

John 1:1

    the Lord Jesus Christ;

Acts 2:36

just as the prophets from above

1 Pet 1:10-11

    —and the Lord Jesus Christ himself—

Luke 24:27

    instructed us concerning him,

and the Creed of the fathers

2 Thess 2:15

    handed down to us.

Traditional Text

This is the Greek text of the Creed as it was published received in 451 AD, which is the basis for the translation provided above. Formatting, punctuation, and capitalisation provided by the Confessional Lutheran Church.

Ἑπόμενοι τοίνυν τοῖς ἁγίοις πατράσιν
ἕνα καὶ τὸν αὐτὸν ὁμολογεῖν υἱὸν
τὸν κύριον ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν
συμφώνως ἅπαντες ἐκδιδάσκομεν,

τέλειον τὸν αὐτὸν ἐν θεότητι
καὶ τέλειον τὸν αὐτὸν ἐν ἀνθρωπότητι,
θεὸν ἀληθῶς
    καὶ ἄνθρωπον ἀληθῶς τὸν αὐτὸν,
ἐκ ψυχῆς λογικῆς καὶ σώματος,
ὁμοούσιον τῷ πατρὶ
    κατὰ τὴν θεότητα,
καὶ ὁμοούσιον τὸν αὐτὸν ἡμῖν
    κατὰ τὴν ἀνθρωπότητα,
κατὰ πάντα ὅμοιον ἡμῖν χωρὶς ἁμαρτίας·

πρὸ αἰώνων μὲν ἐκ τοῦ πατρὸς γεννηθέντα
    κατὰ τὴν θεότητα,
ἐπ᾽ ἐσχάτων δὲ τῶν ἡμερῶν τὸν αὐτὸν
    δι᾽ ἡμᾶς καὶ διὰ τὴν ἡμετέραν σωτηρίαν
    ἐκ Μαρίας τῆς παρθένου
    τῆς θεοτόκου κατὰ τὴν ἀνθρωπότητα,
ἕνα καὶ τὸν αὐτὸν
    Χριστόν, υἱόν, κύριον, μονογενῆ,
ἐν δύο φύσεσιν,
    ἀσυγχύτως,
    ἀτρέπτως,
    ἀδιαιρέτως,
    ἀχωρίστως γνωριζόμενον·

οὐδαμοῦ τῆς τῶν φύσεων διαφορᾶς ἀνῃρημένης διὰ τὴν ἕνωσιν,
σωζομένης
    δὲ μᾶλλον τῆς ἰδιότητος ἑκατέρας φύσεως
καὶ εἰς ἓν πρόσωπον καὶ μίαν ὑπόστασιν
    συντρεχούσης,
οὐκ εἰς δύο πρόσωπα
    μεριζόμενον ἢ διαιρούμενον,
ἀλλ᾽ ἕνα καὶ τὸν αὐτὸν υἱὸν καὶ μονογενῆ,
    θεὸν λόγον,
    κύριον Ἰησοῦν Χριστόν·

καθάπερ ἄνωθεν οἱ προφῆται περὶ αὐτοῦ
    καὶ αὐτὸς ἡμᾶς ὁ κύριος Ἱησοῦς Χριστὸς
    ἐξεπαίδευσε
καὶ τὸ τῶν πατέρων ἡμῖν
    παραδέδωκε σύμβολον.

Sources

The traditional Greek text is sourced from Schaff, Philip, ed. The Creeds of Christendom, Volume II: The Greek and Latin Creeds. Harper & Brothers, 1878. Pp. 62-63.

Copyright

The English translation of the Definition, Greek and English formatting, capitalisation and punctuation, parallel verses and all other notes are provided by the Confessional Lutheran Church. © 2026 The Confessional Lutheran Church. All rights reserved.