New Revised Standard Version
Formerly, when you did not know God, you were enslaved to beings that by nature are not gods.

Contemporary English Version
Before you knew God, you were slaves of gods that are not real.

New American Bible
At a time when you did not know God, you became slaves to things that by nature are not gods;

Douay-Rheims Bible
But then indeed, not knowing God, you served them who, by nature, are not gods.

But then indeed, not knowing God, you served them who, by nature, are not gods.

when.

Exodus 5:2 But he answered: Who is the Lord, that I should hear his voice, and let Israel go? I know not the Lord, neither will I let Israel go.

Jeremiah 10:25 Pour out thy indignation upon the nations that have not known thee, and upon the provinces that have not called upon thy name: because they have eaten up Jacob, and devoured him, and consumed him, and have destroyed his glory.

John 1:10 He was in the world: and the world was made by him: and the world knew him not.

Acts 17:23,30 For passing by and seeing your idols, I found an altar also, on which was written: To the Unknown God. What therefore you worship without knowing it, that I preach to you: . . .

Romans 1:28 And as they liked not to have God in their knowledge, God delivered them up to a reprobate sense, to do those things which are not convenient.

1 Corinthians 1:21 For, seeing that in the wisdom of God, the world, by wisdom, knew not God, it pleased God, by the foolishness of our preaching, to save them that believe.

Ephesians 2:11,12 For which cause be mindful that you, being heretofore gentiles is the flesh, who are called uncircumcision by that which is called circumcision in the flesh, made by hands: . . .

Ephesians 4:18 Having their understanding darkened: being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their hearts.

1 Thessalonians 4:5 Not in the passion of lust, like the Gentiles that know not God:

2 Thessalonians 1:8 In a flame of fire, giving vengeance to them who know not God and who obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.

1 John 3:1 Behold what manner of charity the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called and should be the sons of God. Therefore the world knoweth not us, because it knew not him.

ye did.

Joshua 24:2,15 And he spoke thus to the people: Thus saith the Lord the God of Israel: Your fathers dwelt of old on the other side of the river, Thare the father of Abraham, and Nachor: and they served strange gods. . . .

Psalm 115:4-8 The idols of the Gentiles are silver and gold, the works of the hands of men. . . .

Psalm 135:15-18 The idols of the Gentiles are silver and gold, the works of men's hands. . . .

Isaiah 44:9-20 The makers of idols are all of them nothing, and their best beloved things shall not profit them. They are their witnesses, that they do not see, nor understand, that they may be ashamed. . . .

Jeremiah 10:3-16 For the laws of the people are vain: for the works of the hand of the workman hath cut a tree out of the forest with an axe. . . .

Acts 14:12 And they called Barnabas, Jupiter: but Paul, Mercury: because he was chief speaker.

Acts 17:29 Being therefore the offspring of God, we must not suppose the divinity to be like unto gold or silver or stone, the graving of art and device of man.

Romans 1:23 And they changed the glory of the incorruptible God into the likeness of the image of a corruptible man and of birds, and of fourfooted beasts and of creeping things.

1 Corinthians 8:4 But as for the meats that are sacrificed to idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world and that there is no God but one.

1 Corinthians 10:19,20 What then? Do I say that what is offered in sacrifice to idols is any thing? Or that the idol is any thing? . . .

1 Corinthians 12:2 You know that when you were heathens, you went to dumb idols, according as you were led.

1 Thessalonians 1:9 For they themselves relate of us, what manner of entering in we had unto you: and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God.

1 Peter 4:3 For the time past is sufficient to have fulfilled the will of the Gentiles, for them who have walked in riotousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings and unlawful worshipping of idols.