Parallel Verses

New American Standard Bible

However at that time, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those which by nature are no gods.

King James Version

Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods.

Holman Bible

But in the past, when you didn’t know God, you were enslaved to things that by nature are not gods.

International Standard Version

However, in the past, when you did not know God, you were slaves to things that are not really gods at all.

A Conservative Version

But of course not knowing God then, ye were in bondage to those in nature who are not gods,

American Standard Version

Howbeit at that time, not knowing God, ye were in bondage to them that by nature are no gods:

Amplified

But at that time, when you did not know [the true] God and were unacquainted with Him, you [Gentiles] were slaves to those [pagan] things which by [their very] nature were not and could not be gods at all.

An Understandable Version

At that time, when you did not know God [as your Father], you were in bondage to those who were, by nature, not really gods at all.

Anderson New Testament

But, then, because you knew not God, you were enslaved to those who, by nature, are not gods:

Bible in Basic English

But at that time, having no knowledge of God, you were servants to those who by right are no gods:

Common New Testament

Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those which by nature are no gods.

Daniel Mace New Testament

When you did not know God, you did service to those, who in reality are no Gods; but now that you know God,

Darby Translation

But then indeed, not knowing God, ye were in bondage to those who by nature are not gods;

Goodspeed New Testament

But formerly, in your ignorance of God, you were slaves to gods that really did not exist,

John Wesley New Testament

Indeed then, when ye knew not God, ye served them that by nature are not gods.

Julia Smith Translation

But then truly, not having known God, ye were in a servile condition to them not being gods by nature.

King James 2000

But then, when you knew not God, you did service unto them which by nature are no gods.

Lexham Expanded Bible

But at that time [when you] did not know God, you were enslaved to the things which by nature are not gods.

Modern King James verseion

But then, indeed, not knowing God, you served as slaves to those not by nature being gods.

Modern Spelling Tyndale-Coverdale

Notwithstanding, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them, which by nature were no gods:

Moffatt New Testament

In those days, when you were ignorant of God, you were in servitude to gods who are really no gods at all;

Montgomery New Testament

But once, when you Gentiles had no knowledge of God, you were slaves to gods which have no real being.

NET Bible

Formerly when you did not know God, you were enslaved to beings that by nature are not gods at all.

New Heart English Bible

However at that time, not knowing God, you were in bondage to those who by nature are not gods.

Noyes New Testament

But at that time, indeed, when ye knew not God, ye were in slavery to those who in their nature are not gods;

Sawyer New Testament

But formerly, not knowing God you served beings which are not really Gods;

The Emphasized Bible

But, at that time - not knowing God, ye were in servitude unto them who, by nature, are not Gods;

Thomas Haweis New Testament

But at that time when ye knew not God, ye served those who by nature are not gods.

Twentieth Century New Testament

Yet formerly, in your ignorance of God, you became slaves to 'gods' which were no gods.

Webster

However then, when ye knew not God, ye did service to them which by nature are no gods.

Weymouth New Testament

But at one time, you Gentiles, having no knowledge of God, were slaves to gods which in reality do not exist.

Williams New Testament

But at that former time, as you did not know the true God, you were slaves to gods that do not really exist,

World English Bible

However at that time, not knowing God, you were in bondage to those who by nature are not gods.

Worrell New Testament

But then, indeed, when ye knew not God, ye served those which by nature are no gods;

Worsley New Testament

But then indeed, when ye knew not God, ye served those which in reality are no gods.

Youngs Literal Translation

But then, indeed, not having known God, ye were in servitude to those not by nature gods,

Interlinear

English(KJV)
Strong's
Root Form
Definition
Usage
ἀλλά 
Alla 
but, yea, yet, nevertheless, howbeit, nay, therefore, save, not tr,
Usage: 461

τότε 
Tote 
then, that time, when, not tr
Usage: 105

when ye knew not
οὐ 
Ou 
not, no, cannot ,
Usage: 1032

God
θεός 
theos 
Usage: 1151

δουλεύω 
Douleuo 
serve, be in bondage, do service
Usage: 20


which, who, the things, the son,
Usage: 0

by nature
φύσις 
Phusis 
Usage: 14

are
ὤν οὖσα ὄν 
On 
being, when ... was, which is, that is, not tr,
Usage: 128

no
μή 
me 
not, no, that not, God forbid 9, lest, neither, no man , but, none, not translated,
Usage: 493

Context Readings

Do Not Be Enslaved Again

7 Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God. 8 However at that time, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those which by nature are no gods. 9 But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how is it that you turn back again to the weak and worthless elemental things, to which you desire to be enslaved all over again?

Cross References

1 Corinthians 1:21

For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.

1 Thessalonians 4:5

not in lustful passion, like the Gentiles who do not know God;

1 Corinthians 8:4

Therefore concerning the eating of things sacrificed to idols, we know that there is no such thing as an idol in the world, and that there is no God but one.

2 Thessalonians 1:8

dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.

2 Chronicles 13:9

Have you not driven out the priests of the Lord, the sons of Aaron and the Levites, and made for yourselves priests like the peoples of other lands? Whoever comes to consecrate himself with a young bull and seven rams, even he may become a priest of what are no gods.

Isaiah 37:19

and have cast their gods into the fire, for they were not gods but the work of men’s hands, wood and stone. So they have destroyed them.

Ephesians 2:11-12

Therefore remember that formerly you, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called “Uncircumcision” by the so-called “Circumcision,” which is performed in the flesh by human hands—

1 Thessalonians 1:9

For they themselves report about us what kind of a reception we had with you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God,

Exodus 5:2

But Pharaoh said, “Who is the Lord that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I do not know the Lord, and besides, I will not let Israel go.”

Joshua 24:2

Joshua said to all the people, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘From ancient times your fathers lived beyond the River, namely, Terah, the father of Abraham and the father of Nahor, and they served other gods.

Joshua 24:15

If it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

Psalm 115:4-8

Their idols are silver and gold,
The work of man’s hands.

Psalm 135:15-18

The idols of the nations are but silver and gold,
The work of man’s hands.

Isaiah 44:9-20

Those who fashion a graven image are all of them futile, and their precious things are of no profit; even their own witnesses fail to see or know, so that they will be put to shame.

Jeremiah 2:11

“Has a nation changed gods
When they were not gods?
But My people have changed their glory
For that which does not profit.

Jeremiah 10:3-16

For the customs of the peoples are delusion;
Because it is wood cut from the forest,
The work of the hands of a craftsman with a cutting tool.

Jeremiah 10:25

Pour out Your wrath on the nations that do not know You
And on the families that do not call Your name;
For they have devoured Jacob;
They have devoured him and consumed him
And have laid waste his habitation.

John 1:10

He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him.

Acts 14:12

And they began calling Barnabas, Zeus, and Paul, Hermes, because he was the chief speaker.

Acts 17:23

For while I was passing through and examining the objects of your worship, I also found an altar with this inscription, ‘TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.’ Therefore what you worship in ignorance, this I proclaim to you.

Acts 17:29-30

Being then the children of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and thought of man.

Romans 1:23

and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures.

Romans 1:28

And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper,

1 Corinthians 10:19-20

What do I mean then? That a thing sacrificed to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything?

1 Corinthians 12:2

You know that when you were pagans, you were led astray to the mute idols, however you were led.

Ephesians 4:18

being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart;

1 Peter 4:3

For the time already past is sufficient for you to have carried out the desire of the Gentiles, having pursued a course of sensuality, lusts, drunkenness, carousing, drinking parties and abominable idolatries.

1 John 3:1

See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are. For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.

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Word Concordance

King James Version Public Domain

Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers.

International Standard Version Copyright © 1996-2008 by the ISV Foundation.

New American Standard Bible Copyright ©1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org

American Standard Version Public Domain

NET Bible copyright © 1996-2006 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. NetBible

Basic English, produced by Mr C. K. Ogden of the Orthological Institute - public domain