Galatians 4 · Verse 8

Galatians 4:8

Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods.
Galatians 4:8, King James Version

Galatians 4:8 in other translations

BSBFormerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods.
WEBHowever at that time, not knowing God, you were in bondage to those who by nature are not gods.
ASVHowbeit at that time, not knowing God, ye were in bondage to them that by nature are no gods:
YLTBut then, indeed, not having known God, ye were in servitude to those not by nature gods,
DARBYBut then indeed, not knowing God, ye were in bondage to those who by nature are notgods;
BBEBut at that time, having no knowledge of God, you were servants to those who by right are no gods:
WebsterHowever then, when ye knew not God, ye did service to them which by nature are no gods.

What does Galatians 4:8 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Galatians 4:8-11
8-11. Appeal to them not to turn back from their privileges as free sons, to legal bondage again. then--when ye were "servants" (Ga 4:7). ye knew not God--not opposed to Ro 1:21. The heathen originally knew God, as Ro 1:21 states, but did not choose to retain God in their knowledge, and so corrupted the original truth. They might still have known Him, in a measure, from His works, but as a matter of fact they knew Him not, so far as His eternity, His power as the Creator, and His holiness, are concerned. are no gods--that is, have no existence, such as their worshippers attribute to them, in the nature of things, but only in the corrupt imaginations of their worshippers (see on 1Co 8:4; 1Co 10:19, 20; 2Ch 13:9). Your "service" was a different bondage from that of the Jews, which was a true service. Yet theirs, like yours, was a burdensome yoke; how then is it ye wish to resume the yoke after that God has transferred both Jews and Gentiles to a free service?

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes
Verse 8. Howbeit. But, αλλα. The address in this verse and the following is evidently to the portion of the Galatians who had been heathen. This is probably indicated by the particle αλλα, but, denoting a transition. In the previous verses Paul had evidently had the Jewish converts more particularly in his eye, and had described their former condition as one of servitude to the Mosaic rites and customs, and had shown the inconveniences of that condition, com- pared with the freedom imparted by the gospel. To complete the description, he refers also to the Gentiles, as a condition of worse servitude still, and shows Gal 4:9 the absurdity of their turning back to a state of bondage of any kind after the glorious deliverance which they had obtained from the degrading servitude of pagan rites. The sense is, "If the Jews were in such a state of servitude, how much more galling and severe was that of those who had been heathens. Yet from that servitude the gospel had delivered them, and made them freemen. How absurd now to go back to a state of vassalage, and to become servants under the oppressive rites of the Jewish law!"

When ye knew not God. In your state of heathenism, what you had no knowledge of the true God and of his service. The object, is not to apologize for what they did, because they did not know God; it is to state the fact that they were in a state of gross and galling servitude.

Ye did service. This does not express the force of the original. The meaning is, "Ye were slaves to εδουλευσατε you were in a condition of servitude, as opposed to the freedom of the gospel." Compare Gal 4:3, where the same word is used to describe the state of the Jews. The drift of the apostle is, to show that the Jews and Gentiles, before their conversion to Christianity, were in a state of vassalage or servitude, and that it was absurd in the highest degree to return to that condition again.

Unto them which by nature are no gods. Idols, or false gods. The expression "by nature," φυσει, according to Grotius, means, in fact, re ipsa. The sense is, that they really had no pretensions to divinity. Many of them were imaginary beings; many were the objects of creation, as the sun, and winds, and streams; and many were departed heroes that had been exalted to be objects of worship. Yet the servitude was real. It fettered their faculties; controlled their powers; bound their imagination; and commanded their time and property, and made them slaves. Idolatry is always slavery; and the servitude of sinners to their passions and appetites, to lust, and gold, and ambition, is not less galling and severe than was the servitude to the pagan gods or the Jewish rites, or than is the servitude of the African now to a harsh and cruel master. Of all Christians it may be said that before their conversion they "did service," or were slaves to harsh and cruel masters; and nothing but the gospel has made them free. It may be added, that the chains of idolatry all over the world are as fast riveted and as galling as they were in Galatia; and that nothing but the same gospel which Paul preached there can break those chains, and restore man to freedom.

(+) "Howbeit then" "However at that time" (*) "them" "Ye saved those"

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 8 When ye knew not God - Though it is evident, from the complexion of the whole of this epistle, that the great body of the Christians in the Churches of Galatia were converts from among the Jews or proselytes to Judaism; yet from this verse it appears that there were some who had been converted from heathenism; unless we suppose that the apostle here particularly addresses those who had been proselytes to Judaism and thence converted to Christianity; which appears to be most likely from the following verses.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Galatians 4:8-11
The happy change whereby the Galatians were turned from idols to the living God, and through Christ had received the adoption of sons, was the effect of his free and rich grace; they were laid under the greater obligation to keep to the liberty wherewith he had made them free. All our knowledge of God begins on his part; we know him because we are known of him. Though our religion forbids idolatry, yet many practise spiritual idolatry in their hearts. For what a man loves most, and cares most for, that is his god: some have their riches for their god, some their pleasures, and some their lusts. And many ignorantly worship a god of their own making; a god made all of mercy and no justice. For they persuade themselves that there is mercy for them with God, though they repent not, but go on in their sins. It is possible for those who have made great professions of religion, to be afterwards drawn aside from purity and simplicity. And the more mercy God has shown, in bringing any to know the gospel, and the liberties and privileges of it, the greater their sin and folly in suffering themselves to be deprived of them. Hence all who are members of the outward church should learn to fear and to suspect themselves. We must not be content because we have some good things in ourselves. Paul fears lest his labour is in vain, yet he still labours; and thus to do, whatever follows, is true wisdom and the fear of God. This every man must remember in his place and calling.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Galatians 4:8 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ἈλλὰAllaButG235
τότεtoteat that timeG5119
μὲνmenindeedG3303
οὐκouknotG3756
εἰδότεςeidotesknowing
θεὸνtheonGodG2316
ἐδουλεύσατεedouleusateyou were enslavedG1398
τοῖςtoisto thoseG3588
φύσειphuseiby natureG5449
μὴmēnotG3361
οὖσινousinbeingG1510
θεοῖς·theoisgods;G2316

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Galatians 4:8

  • 1 Corinthians 8:4

    As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one.

  • 1 Thessalonians 1:9

    For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God;

  • 1 Thessalonians 4:5

    Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God:

  • Ephesians 2:11-12

    Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:

  • 1 Corinthians 10:19-20

    What say I then? that the idol is any thing, or that which is offered in sacrifice to idols is any thing? But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils.

  • 2 Thessalonians 1:8

    In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:

  • Isaiah 37:19

    And have cast their gods into the fire: for they were no gods, but the work of men’s hands, wood and stone: therefore they have destroyed them.

  • 1 Corinthians 1:21

    For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.

  • 1 Peter 4:3

    For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries:

  • 2 Chronicles 13:9

    Have ye not cast out the priests of the Lord, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites, and have made you priests after the manner of the nations of other lands? so that whosoever cometh to consecrate himself with a young bullock and seven rams, the same may be a priest of them that are no gods.

  • Isaiah 44:9-20

    They that make a graven image are all of them vanity; and their delectable things shall not profit; and they are their own witnesses; they see not, nor know; that they may be ashamed. Who hath formed a god, or molten a graven image that is profitable for nothing? Behold, all his fellows shall be ashamed: and the workmen, they are of men: let them all be gathered together, let them stand up; yet they shall fear, and they shall be ashamed together. The smith with the tongs both worketh in the coals, and fashioneth it with hammers, and worketh it with the strength of his arms: yea, he is hungry, and his strength faileth: he drinketh no water, and is faint. …

  • Joshua 24:15

    And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
when.
Ex 5:2; Jer 10:25; Joh 1:10; Ac 17:23,30; Ro 1:28; 1Co 1:21
Eph 2:11,12; 4:18; 1Th 4:5; 2Th 1:8; 1Jo 3:1
ye did.
Jos 24:2,15; Ps 115:4-8; 135:15-18; Isa 44:9-20; Jer 10:3-16
Ac 14:12; 17:29; Ro 1:23; 1Co 8:4; 10:19,20; 12:2; 1Th 1:9; 1Pe 4:3

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Galatians 4:7

    Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

  • Galatians 4:8

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

  • Galatians 4:9

    But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?

Read all of Galatians 4

Galatians 4:8 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Antes, en otro tiempo, no conociendo á Dios, servíais á los que por naturaleza no son dioses:
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Mais alors, ne connaissant pas Dieu, vous étiez asservis à ceux qui, par leur nature, ne sont pas dieux:
German
Elberfelder 1871		Aber damals freilich, als ihr Gott nicht kanntet, dientet ihr denen, die von Natur nicht Götter sind;
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Sed tunc quidem ignorantes Deum, iis, qui natura non sunt dii, serviebatis.