Section 2:11–22
God has united Jews and non-Jews through Christ
In 2:11–22, Paul described another aspect of God’s salvation. Previously Jews and Gentiles were enemies. But Christ, by his death on the cross, has made peace between both groups of people and God. Because of this, there is peace between the two groups also. So the Gentile Christians now belong to the family of God just like Jewish Christians do.
Here are some other examples for a heading for this section:
Christ has united all people
-or-
All people are one in Christ
Paragraph 2:11–13
Paul again describes the former condition of the Ephesians: they did not share in any of the privileges of the Jews. They were far from God and had no hope. But now they have been brought close to God because Christ died in their place for their sins.
2:11–12
Verses 2:11–12 are one complex sentence in Greek and in the Berean Standard Bible. The main verb of this sentence is “remember,” which occurs at the beginning of 2:11. However, the main things that Paul wants the Ephesians to remember are listed in 2:12. To show this relationship, some good translation models to follow are the New Century Version and Good News Translation. The New Century Version places “remember” in 2:12. The Good News Translation places “remember” at the end of 2:11.
11 You were not born Jewish. You are the people the Jews call “uncircumcised.” Those who call you “uncircumcised” call themselves “circumcised.” (Their circumcision is only something they themselves do on their bodies.) 12a Remember that in the past you were without Christ… (New Century Version)
-or-
11 You Gentiles by birth—called “the uncircumcised” by the Jews, who call themselves the circumcised (which refers to what men do to their bodies)—remember what you were in the past. (Good News Translation)
Although the Berean Standard Bible does not break this into shorter sentences, it does repeat the verb “remember” in 2:12a.
2:11
This verse refers to a particular Jewish custom called “circumcision.”
Circumcision is the cutting off of a band of skin, called the foreskin, from around the end of the penis.
You may want to use a euphemism to describe this event. Some examples are:
mark
-or-
receive the mark
Circumcision was the special mark or sign God gave to the Jews which showed they were his chosen people. Since the Gentiles did not practice circumcision, this showed that they did not belong to God’s chosen people.
2:11a
Therefore: The conjunction Therefore refers back to 2:1–10. Paul is reminding the Ephesians again of what they were like before they became Christians.
Here is another way to translate this word:
So then (New Revised Standard Version)
remember that formerly you who are Gentiles in the flesh: The word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as remember is a command. It means “keep in mind” or “think of.” Most English versions translate it positively, remember. A few versions translate it using a negative, for example:
do not forget (New Living Translation (2004))
formerly: The word formerly means “in the past” or “previously.”
Here are some other ways to translate this word:
before ⌊you believed in Christ⌋
-or-
prior ⌊to becoming a Christian⌋
Gentiles: This word Gentiles refers to all people who are not Jews. See Gentiles, Meaning 1 in the Glossary for more information.
Here are some other ways to translate this word:
non-Jews
-or-
people who are not Jews
in the flesh: The Greek phrase which the Berean Standard Bible literally translates as in the flesh refers to the fact that the Ephesians were not circumcised physically (in the flesh) like the Jews were. They were born Gentiles. See flesh, Meaning 5, in the Glossary for more information.
Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:
Don’t forget that you Gentiles used to be outsiders. (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
Remember that once you were not Jewish physically. (God’s Word)
2:11b
called uncircumcised: When a Jew called someone uncircumcised, he was insulting him. To a Jew, anyone who was uncircumcised was a pagan, which is an unbeliever. If the verb for called in your language has only a positive meaning, you may need to choose another verb or add a word such as “insult” to give the proper meaning of this clause.
Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:
uncircumcised heathen
-or-
⌊despicable⌋ people without the mark of God
by the so-called circumcision: The phrase by the so-called circumcision refers to the Jewish people. They called themselves the circumcision because their men were circumcised. You may need to make the meaning more explicit. For example:
the Jews, who call themselves the circumcised (Good News Translation)
-or-
Jewish people who say, “we are circumcised people.”
This context implies that the Jews were proud of this sign that they were God’s chosen people. In some languages it may be helpful to make this explicit. For example:
the Jews, who were proud of their circumcision (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
marked as God’s chosen people
2:11c
In 2:11c, Paul says two things about circumcision. These are discussed in the following two notes.
that done in the body: The first thing that Paul said about circumcision is that it is done in the body. This means it is a ritual that someone does to a man’s body. Paul implied that circumcision affects a man’s outward appearance, but does not change his heart or change his behavior.
body: This is literally “flesh.” See flesh, Meaning 1 in the Glossary for more information.
by human hands: The second thing that Paul said about circumcision is that it is done by human hands. This means it is something people do, not something God does.
In other words, circumcision is only an outward, physical ceremony. A person may be circumcised following the Jewish religion, but that does not mean that the person has allowed God to change his inner being. (See Romans 2:28–29 and Colossians 2:11.)
General Comment on 2:11c
2:11c is background information Paul gives explaining about circumcision. The Berean Standard Bible has used parentheses to indicate this. Try to indicate it in a natural way in your language.
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