O Come, All Ye Faithful John Francis Wade (attributed), translated by Frederick Oakeley, 1852
3 verses and a refrain, sung to Adeste Fideles (Irregular), public domain, free to print and project.
The words
Verse 1. Oh come, all ye faithful,
Joyful and triumphant,
Oh come ye, oh come ye to Bethlehem;
Come and behold him
Born the King of angels;
Refrain Oh come, let us adore him,
Oh come, let us adore him,
Oh come, let us adore him,
Christ, the Lord.
Verse 2. Sing, choirs of angels,
Sing in exultation,
Sing, all ye citizens of heav’n above:
Glory to God, all glory in the highest;
Verse 3. Yea, Lord, we greet thee,
Born this happy morning,
Jesus, to thee be all glory giv’n;
Word of the Father,
Now in flesh appearing;
Sing the refrain after every verse.
Words copied from New Baptist Hymnal (1926). They were published in 1852, so they are in the public domain in the United States, and your church may print them, show them and sing them without a license.
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The story behind O Come, All Ye Faithful
The hymn began in Latin as Adeste fideles. Hymnary.org now credits John Francis Wade as author and composer. Wade was an English Roman Catholic who moved to Douay, France, taught music at an English college there, and copied chant for wealthy families. His earliest signed manuscript of the hymn dates to about 1743, and his collection Cantus Diversi was published in 1751. Older reference works, including Julian's Dictionary of Hymnology, said nothing positive was known about who wrote it. The Latin had four stanzas, and other writers added four more by the early 1800s. Frederick Oakeley, an Anglican priest in the Oxford Movement, made the English translation in 1841 for Margaret Street Chapel in London. Murray's Hymnal printed it in 1852 with the opening line most people sing today. Oakeley joined the Roman Catholic Church in 1845. The tune ADESTE FIDELES was once called PORTUGUESE HYMN because it was sung at the Portuguese embassy chapel in London. Wade is the likely composer. Hymnary.org lists the hymn in 852 hymnals. The Psalter Hymnal prints it in G.
John Francis Wade
1711 to 1786
John Francis Wade was an English Roman Catholic who moved to Douay, France, probably because of discrimination against Catholics that grew sharper after the Jacobite Rebellion of 1745. He taught music at an English college there and made a living copying chant music for the chapels of wealthy families. His earliest signed manuscript of Adeste fideles dates to about 1743, and his copied manuscripts were published as Cantus Diversi in 1751. Hymnary.org now credits him as author and composer of the hymn. Julian's Dictionary of Hymnology said nothing positive was known about the original authorship.
John Francis Wade
1711 to 1786
John Francis Wade was an English Roman Catholic who moved to Douay, France, probably because of discrimination against Catholics that grew sharper after the Jacobite Rebellion of 1745. He taught music at an English college there and made a living copying chant music for the chapels of wealthy families. His earliest signed manuscript of Adeste fideles dates to about 1743, and his copied manuscripts were published as Cantus Diversi in 1751. Hymnary.org now credits him as author and composer of the hymn. Julian's Dictionary of Hymnology said nothing positive was known about the original authorship.
- Hymnary.org, O Come, All Ye Faithful , read 2026-10-16
- Hymnary.org, John Francis Wade , read 2026-10-16
- Hymnary.org, Frederick Oakeley , read 2026-10-16
- Hymnary.org, Psalter Hymnal 340 , read 2026-10-16
Scripture in O Come, All Ye Faithful
The Bible passages behind the words.
- Luke 2:4-7
- Luke 2:13-14
- John 1:14
- Matthew 2:1-12
- Luke 2:1-20
O Come, All Ye Faithful videos
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O come all ye faithful Northern Baptist Association , Congregation
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O Come, All Ye Faithful • Congregational Daniel Baptist, Congregation
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O Come, All Ye Faithful KingsCollegeChoir, Choir
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O Come All Ye Faithful (Acapella) - Doxology Vocal Ensemble Southern Seminary, A cappella
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O Come All Ye Faithful - Christmas Hymn on Piano with lyrics Kaleb Brasee, Piano
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Passion - O Come All Ye Faithful (His Name Shall Be) ft. Melodie Malone Passion Music, Modern arrangement
Videos play from YouTube, and nothing loads from YouTube until you press play. A video may sing different verses from the ones printed on this page.
Downloads, printing and slides
Sheet music files
- Sheet music PDF 131 KB. Words and all four parts, ready to print.
- Lead sheet PDF 94 KB. Melody, words and chord symbols for piano or guitar.
- MusicXML score XML 75 KB. Opens in MuseScore, Finale, Sibelius and Dorico to change the key or print parts.
- MIDI, all parts MIDI 3 KB. Plays the four-part harmony in any MIDI player or notation app.
- MIDI, melody only MIDI 1 KB. The tune alone, for learning it.
Practice tracks for each voice part, as MIDI: Alto , Tenor , Bass .
Chords and keys
Hymnals print it in G.
Questions people ask
Who wrote O Come, All Ye Faithful?
Hymnary.org credits John Francis Wade as author and composer of the Latin Adeste fideles, with his earliest signed manuscript dating to about 1743. Julian's Dictionary of Hymnology said nothing positive was known about the original authorship.
Who translated O Come, All Ye Faithful into English?
Frederick Oakeley made the standard English translation in 1841 for Margaret Street Chapel in London. Murray's Hymnal printed it in 1852.
Is O Come, All Ye Faithful a Catholic hymn?
Its Latin author, John Francis Wade, was a Roman Catholic, and Oakeley became one in 1845. Oakeley translated it as an Anglican priest, and Hymnary.org lists the hymn in 852 hymnals.
What Bible passages does the hymn follow?
Hymnary.org lists Luke 2:4-7 for stanza 1, Luke 2:13-14 for stanza 3, and John 1:14 for stanza 4.
Is O Come, All Ye Faithful in the public domain?
The words are public domain in the United States. The English translation was made in 1841 and first published in 1852, and the tune dates to the 1700s.
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