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

I believe 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;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;
     from thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Ghost;
     the holy catholic church;²
     the communion of saints;
     the forgiveness of sins;
     the resurrection of the body;
     and the life everlasting. Amen.

¹Until AD 400, this phrase was interpreted to mean simply that Christ “really died.” He didn't just seem to die, faint, swoon and then “come to.” The Roman Catholic Church began to teach after this time that Christ experienced a “local descent” ( limbus patrem ) where he preached to those in purgatory and OT saints. The view in the Westminster Larger Catechism Q. 50 restores the meaning the early church assigned to the phrase. 1 Peter 3:18-20 deals with this as well, but does not change the meaning of the creed. I'm happy to discuss that passage if you have questions about it.

² Note the small “c.” This is the universal church that spans all time, language, people and nation.