The word

"In the Beginning there was the Word. And the Word was good."
[In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God]

There are only four instances of the word "religion" in the Bible. All four are from the New Testament, by the way. Hence, not mentioned before Christ.

Act 26:5 Which knew me from the beginning, if they would testify, that after the most straitest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.

Gal 1:13 For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews' religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it;
Gal 1:14 And profited in the Jews' religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers.

The General Epistle of James 1 'Hearing and Doing the Word'
26 ¶ If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain.
27  ¶ Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.