This verse is an incomplete sentence: the writer begins “And so remember that in the past you…” and after describing who “you” are, he resumes (in verse 12) “that at that time you were….”
The writer addresses himself to his readers, Gentiles by birth, literally “Gentiles in the flesh” (Revised Standard Version). Gentiles translates the Greek plural “the nations” that often had, on the lips of Jews, the derogatory connotation of “pagans.” In the Septuagint ta ethnē translates the Hebrew gōyim “the nations,” that is, all other peoples, who did not have Yahweh as their God. The words “in the flesh” designate their natural condition as non-Jews, that is, uncircumcised people, as they are called by the Jews, who are circumcised. So in both instances of the phrase “in the flesh” (see Revised Standard Version) there is an allusion to the presence and to the absence of circumcision. Sometimes sarx may specifically refer to the male organ, the penis. Jerusalem Bible translates “who were pagans physically”; Goodspeed “physically heathen”; New English Bible “Gentiles as you are outwardly” (footnote: or by birth); Translator’s New Testament tries to say it all: “because you had not undergone a physical rite, you were Gentiles”; Barclay has “Gentiles from the physical point of view.” Traduction œcuménique de la Bible “you who carried the sign of paganism in your flesh” is not too good; actually it was the absence of such “sign” that characterized them as Gentiles. It seems better to say Gentiles by birth (Good News Translation, New International Version; Phillips “you were born Gentiles”).
In a number of languages it may be misleading to insert into the principal sentence of verse 11 such a heavy explanatory and parenthetical remark. Accordingly, it may be preferable to state first “you who are born Gentiles should remember what you were in the past” or “… you should bear in mind what you were in the past.” The text does not mean that these people had actually forgotten what they were, but Paul wishes to call these matters to their attention.
In a number of languages it is extremely difficult to find a satisfactory term for Gentiles. If one uses an expression such as “the other peoples,” readers frequently assume that this applies to tribes other than their own. It is obviously impossible in most instances to use a literal translation of the Greek, namely, “the nations.” Nor is it satisfactory to use a phrase meaning “the pagans.” Some translators have wanted to render Gentiles as “those who do not believe in God” in order to contrast the Gentiles with the Jews as “people who believe in God.” But this is unsatisfactory, since many Gentiles did believe in God. Accordingly, in a number of languages Gentiles seems to be best rendered in many contexts as “those who are not Jews.”
In Greek the rather clumsy “those called uncircumcision by those called circumcision” serves the purpose of showing that the distinction between the two was created by the Jews. But this distinction, from the Jewish point of view, was far more than the physical act of the removal of the prepuce from the male organ. For the Jews this was the physical sign of their covenant with Yahweh, the God of all the earth, the sign of their particular and exclusive relation to the living God from which all other races were barred. So a dynamic equivalent translation here could be “You are Gentiles by birth, called pagans by those who call themselves God’s people.” But the writer immediately adds the qualifying phrase “(something) handmade in the flesh” (compare Jerusalem Bible “by reason of a physical operation”). Good News Translation which refers to what men do to their bodies is not too good; it would be better to say something like “which is the result of a human action, a physical rite (or, operation).” The Greek adjective translated “handmade” is used of what is of human origin in contrast with what God does (see Mark 14.58; Acts 7.48; 17.24; Heb 9.11, 24; see also “un-handmade” in Mark 14.58; 2 Cor 5.1); so here the writer downgrades circumcision to a mere ritual cutting of the flesh (compare New English Bible “only with reference to an outward rite”).
Called “the uncircumcised” by the Jews may be rendered as “the Jews call you those who have never been circumcised.” But it may be difficult in some languages to employ a fully satisfactory term for either “circumcised” or “uncircumcised.” In the use of cultures which practice circumcision or know about it, it may be possible to have some generalized term or phrase such as “to cut the flesh.” A marginal note or explanation in a glossary may also be appropriate, but it may be very unwise to use an expression which is too explicit, since it may have a completely inappropriate connotation.
Who call themselves the circumcised may require an expression which will identify “the circumcised” as being a kind of title or name, for example, “who give themselves the name ‘the circumcised’ ” or “who speak of themselves as being ‘the circumcised.’ ”
Which refers to what men do to their bodies may require a somewhat more specific reference for the pronoun which, for example, “the word ‘circumcised’ refers to the way in which men cut themselves.” It may, however, be important to indicate that this cutting is for essentially religious purposes, for example, “… cut themselves for the sake of their religion” or “… cut themselves to show their relationship to God.” In some instances it may be possible to be quite specific, namely, “to cut off the foreskin to show their relationship to God.”
It has been suggested above that “pagans” be used for “uncircumcised.” Many translations have translated “pagans” by a short phrase “those who do not worship (or, know) God.” This would result in an extremely awkward sentence in this verse so that the translator might have to use two or three shorter sentences. In some languages the best way to translate verse 11 is to use a series of short sentences: “You are non-Jews by birth. Those who call themselves God’s people call you people who do not know God. But this was because they were circumcised, which is only the result of a human action.” Another possibility would be: “You are non-Jews by birth. Those who have been circumcised to show that they are God’s people call you people who do not know God. But this only refers to something that is the result of a human action.”
Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert C. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1982. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .