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The Creed · piece 12 of 26

The First Article: On Creation

From Luther’s Small Catechism, 1529

I believe in God the Almighty Father, Creator of Heaven and Earth.

What does this mean?

I believe that God created me, along with all creatures. He gave to me: my body and soul, my eyes, ears and all the other parts of my body, my mind and all my senses. He preserves them as well. He gives me clothing and shoes, food and drink, house and land, wife and children, fields, animals and all I own. Every day He abundantly provides everything I need to nourish this body and life. He protects me against all danger. He shields and defends me from all evil. He does all this because of His pure, fatherly and divine goodness and His mercy, not because I've earned it or deserved it. For all of this, I must thank Him, praise Him, serve Him and obey Him. Yes, this is true!

In plain words

God made you and everything that exists, including your body, mind, and senses. Every day God gives you what you need to live and protects you from harm. God does this out of goodness and mercy, not because you earned it. So you thank God, praise God, serve God, and obey God.

Our summary of Luther’s explanation, for reading after his words, not instead of them.

Where Jesus says it

Translated by Robert E. Smith for Project Wittenberg (revised 2004) and placed in the public domain by the translator. How we checked it, and the whole Catechism on one page

Games and a ten-minute family guide for the Catechism on Luther’s World

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