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

但从前你们不认识神的时候，是给那些本来不是神的作奴仆；

但从前不认识上帝的时候，你们是给那些本来不是上帝的神明作奴隶；

但从前不认识神的时候，你们是给那些本来不是神的神明作奴隶；

从前，你们不认识上帝，做那些假神的奴隶。

从前你们不认识神的时候，是给那些本来不是神的作奴仆；

从前，你们不认识神的时候，固然给那些本性上不是神的做了奴仆，

但從前你們不認識神的時候，是給那些本來不是神的作奴僕；

但從前不認識上帝的時候，你們是給那些本來不是上帝的神明作奴隸；

但從前不認識神的時候，你們是給那些本來不是神的神明作奴隸；

從前，你們不認識上帝，做那些假神的奴隸。

從前你們不認識神的時候，是給那些本來不是神的作奴僕；

但從前你們不認識上帝的時候，是給那些本性不是神的做奴僕。

從前，你們不認識神的時候，固然給那些本性上不是神的做了奴僕，

昔爾不識上帝、役於本非神者、

昔爾不識上帝、非上帝反服事之、

昔爾不識天主、所事之神、本非天主、

然曩日爾未識天主、猶為偽神所奴；

Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods.

At one time you didn’t know God. You were slaves to gods that are really not gods at all.

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

Before you Gentiles knew God, you were slaves to so called gods that do not even exist.

However at that time, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those which by nature are not gods.

But then, indeed, when you did not know God, you served those which by nature are not gods.

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

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

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

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

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

not with lustful passions, like the Gentiles, who don’t know God.

About eating food sacrificed to idols, then, we know that“ an idol is nothing in the world,” and that“ there is no God but one.”

So, then, remember that at one time you were Gentiles in the flesh— called“ the uncircumcised” by those called“ the circumcised,” which is done in the flesh by human hands.At that time you were without Christ, excluded from the citizenship of Israel, and foreigners to the covenants of promise, without hope and without God in the world.

when he takes vengeance with flaming fire on those who don’t know God and on those who don’t obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.

They have thrown their gods into the fire, for they were not gods but made from wood and stone by human hands. So they have destroyed them.

For there has already been enough time spent in doing what the Gentiles choose to do: carrying on in unrestrained behavior, evil desires, drunkenness, orgies, carousing, and lawless idolatry.

Didn’t you banish the priests of the LORD, the descendants of Aaron and the Levites, and make your own priests like the peoples of other lands do? Whoever comes to ordain himself with a young bull and seven rams may become a priest of what are not gods.

for they themselves report what kind of reception we had from you: how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God

What am I saying then? That food sacrificed to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything?No, but I do say that what they sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be participants with demons!

For since, in God’s wisdom, the world did not know God through wisdom, God was pleased to save those who believe through the foolishness of what is preached.

Pour out your wrath on the nations that don’t recognize you and on the families that don’t call on your name, for they have consumed Jacob; they have consumed him and finished him off and made his homeland desolate.

All who make idols are nothing, and what they treasure benefits no one. Their witnesses do not see or know anything, so they will be put to shame.Who makes a god or casts a metal image that benefits no one?Look, all its worshipers will be put to shame, and the craftsmen are humans. They all will assemble and stand; they all will be startled and put to shame.The ironworker labors over the coals, shapes the idol with hammers, and works it with his strong arm. Also he grows hungry and his strength fails; he doesn’t drink water and is faint.The woodworker stretches out a measuring line, he outlines it with a stylus; he shapes it with chisels and outlines it with a compass. He makes it according to a human form, like a beautiful person, to dwell in a temple.He cuts down cedars for his use, or he takes a cypress or an oak. He lets it grow strong among the trees of the forest. He plants a laurel, and the rain makes it grow.A person can use it for fuel. He takes some of it and warms himself; also he kindles a fire and bakes bread; he even makes it into a god and worships it; he makes an idol from it and bows down to it.He burns half of it in a fire, and he roasts meat on that half. He eats the roast and is satisfied. He warms himself and says,“ Ah! I am warm, I see the blaze.”He makes a god or his idol with the rest of it. He bows down to it and worships; he prays to it,“ Save me, for you are my god.”Such people do not comprehend and cannot understand, for he has shut their eyes so they cannot see, and their minds so they cannot understand.No one comes to his senses; no one has the perception or insight to say,“ I burned half of it in the fire, I also baked bread on its coals, I roasted meat and ate. Should I make something detestable with the rest of it? Should I bow down to a block of wood?”He feeds on ashes. His deceived mind has led him astray, and he cannot rescue himself, or say,“ Isn’t there a lie in my right hand?”

They are darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them and because of the hardness of their hearts.

But if it doesn’t please you to worship the LORD, choose for yourselves today: Which will you worship— the gods your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates River or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living? As for me and my family, we will worship the LORD.”

Joshua said to all the people,“ This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says:‘ Long ago your ancestors, including Terah, the father of Abraham and Nahor, lived beyond the Euphrates River and worshiped other gods.

But Pharaoh responded,“ Who is the LORD that I should obey him by letting Israel go? I don’t know the LORD, and besides, I will not let Israel go.”

You know that when you were pagans, you used to be enticed and led astray by mute idols.

for the customs of the peoples are worthless. Someone cuts down a tree from the forest; it is worked by the hands of a craftsman with a chisel.He decorates it with silver and gold. It is fastened with hammer and nails, so it won’t totter.Like scarecrows in a cucumber patch, their idols cannot speak. They must be carried because they cannot walk. Do not fear them for they can do no harm— and they cannot do any good.LORD, there is no one like you. You are great; your name is great in power.Who should not fear you, King of the nations? It is what you deserve. For among all the wise people of the nations and among all their kingdoms, there is no one like you.They are both stupid and foolish, instructed by worthless idols made of wood!Beaten silver is brought from Tarshish and gold from Uphaz. The work of a craftsman and of a goldsmith’s hands is clothed in blue and purple, all the work of skilled artisans.But the LORD is the true God; he is the living God and eternal King. The earth quakes at his wrath, and the nations cannot endure his fury.You are to say this to them:“ The gods that did not make the heavens and the earth will perish from the earth and from under these heavens.”He made the earth by his power, established the world by his wisdom, and spread out the heavens by his understanding.When he thunders, the waters in the heavens are in turmoil, and he causes the clouds to rise from the ends of the earth. He makes lightning for the rain and brings the wind from his storehouses.Everyone is stupid and ignorant. Every goldsmith is put to shame by his carved image, for his cast images are a lie; there is no breath in them.They are worthless, a work to be mocked. At the time of their punishment they will be destroyed.Jacob’s Portion is not like these because he is the one who formed all things. Israel is the tribe of his inheritance; the LORD of Armies is his name.

See what great love the Father has given us that we should be called God’s children— and we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it didn’t know him.

The idols of the nations are of silver and gold, made by human hands.They have mouths but cannot speak, eyes, but cannot see.They have ears but cannot hear; indeed, there is no breath in their mouths.Those who make them are just like them, as are all who trust in them.

Has a nation ever exchanged its gods?( But they were not gods!) Yet my people have exchanged their Glory for useless idols.

Since, then, we are God’s offspring, we shouldn’t think that the divine nature is like gold or silver or stone, an image fashioned by human art and imagination.“ Therefore, having overlooked the times of ignorance, God now commands all people everywhere to repent,

Their idols are silver and gold, made by human hands.They have mouths but cannot speak, eyes, but cannot see.They have ears but cannot hear, noses, but cannot smell.They have hands but cannot feel, feet, but cannot walk. They cannot make a sound with their throats.Those who make them are just like them, as are all who trust in them.

For as I was passing through and observing the objects of your worship, I even found an altar on which was inscribed,‘ To an Unknown God.’ Therefore, what you worship in ignorance, this I proclaim to you.

Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul, Hermes, because he was the chief speaker.

And because they did not think it worthwhile to acknowledge God, God delivered them over to a corrupt mind so that they do what is not right.

He was in the world, and the world was created through him, and yet the world did not recognize him.

and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man, birds, four-footed animals, and reptiles.