Old Roman Symbol
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The Old Roman Symbol, dated to the 2nd Century, is an Early Christian statement of belief or creed, developed from the questions asked candidates before they received Christian Baptism. It is considered the precursor of the Apostles' Creed. Its structure is the Christian "formula of Baptism" (Latin, formula baptismi): "baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" (Matthew 28:19, part of the Great Commission), and its phrases are taken from the New Testament, such as 1 Corinthians 15. Tertullian and Irenaeus cite it in their works. [1]
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[edit] Latin text of Tyrannius Rufinus
- Credo in deum patrem omnipotentem;
- et in Christum Iesum filium eius unicum, dominum nostrum,
- qui natus est de Spiritu sancto et Maria virgine,
- qui sub Pontio Pilato crucifixus est et sepultus,
- tertia die resurrexit a mortuis,
- ascendit in caelos,
- sedet ad dexteram patris, unde venturus est iudicare vivos et mortuos;
- et in Spiritum sanctum,
- sanctam ecclesiam,
- remissionem peccatorum,
- carnis resurrectionem.
[edit] Greek text of Marcellus of Ancyra
- Πιστεύω ουν εις θεòν πατέρα παντοκράτορα·
- καì εις Χριστòν Ιησουν, τòν υιòν αυτου τòν μονογενη, τòν κύριον ημων,
- τòν γεννηθέντα εκ πνεύματος αγίου καì Μαρίας της παρθένου,
- τòν επì Ποντίου Πιλάτου σταυρωθέντα καì ταφέντα καì τη τρίτη ημέρα αναστάντα εκ των νεκρων, αναβάντα εις τους ουρανούς καì καθήμενον εν δεξια του πατρός, οθεν ερχεται κρινειν ζωντας καì νεκρούς·
- καì εις τò αγιον πνευμα, αγίαν εκκλησίαν, αφεσιν αμαρτιων, σαρκος ανάστασιν, ζωην αιωνιον [2].
[edit] English translation
- I believe in God the Father almighty;
- and in Christ Jesus His only Son, our Lord,
- Who was born from the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary,
- Who under Pontius Pilate was crucified and buried,
- on the third day rose again from the dead,
- ascended to heaven,
- sits at the right hand of the Father, whence He will come to judge the living and the dead;
- and in the Holy Spirit,
- the holy Church,
- the remission of sins,
- the resurrection of the flesh [3].
[edit] Differences between the Latin and the Greek versions
It is worth noting that the Latin (Rufinus) and the Greek (Marcellus) versions are faithful, literal, verbatim translations of each other.
The only outstanding difference is the concluding clause in the Greek text, ζωην αιωνιον ("life everlasting"), which has no equivalent in the Latin text. This clause is present in the Apostles' Creed.
