EPH 2:11 Interlinear View

1. Greek word
2. Greek lemma
3. OET-LV words
4. OET-RV words
5. Strongs
6. Role/Morphology
7. OET Gloss
8. VLT Gloss
9. CAPS codes
10. Confidence
11. OET tags
12. OET word #
1. Διό
2. dio
3. Therefore
4. -
5. 13520
6. C·······
7. therefore
8. therefore
9. PS
10. Y64
11. 128636
1. μνημονεύετε
2. mnēmoneuō
3. be remembering
4. -
5. 34210
6. VMPA2··P
7. ˓be˒ remembering
8. ˓be˒ remembering
9. -
10. Y64; R128008
11. 128637
1. μνημονεύεται
2. mnēmoneuō
3. -
4. -
5. 34210
6. VIPP3··S
7. ˱it˲ ˓is_being˒ remembered
8. ˱it˲ ˓is_being˒ remembered
9. -
10. -
11. 128638
1. ὅτι
2. hoti
3. that
4. -
5. 37540
6. C·······
7. that
8. that
9. -
10. Y64
11. 128639
1. ὑμεῖς
2. su
3. -
4. -
5. 47710
6. R···2N·P
7. you_all
8. you_all
9. -
10. R128008
11. 128640
1. ποτέ
2. pote
3. once
4. -
5. 42180
6. D·······
7. once
8. once
9. -
10. Y64
11. 128641
1. ὑμεῖς
2. su
3. you all
4. you
5. 47710
6. R···2N·P
7. you_all
8. you_all
9. -
10. Y64
11. 128642
1. τά
2. ho
3. the
4. -
5. 35880
6. E····NNP
7. the
8. the
9. -
10. Y64
11. 128643
1. ἔθνη
2. ethnos
3. pagans
4. -
5. 14840
6. N····NNP
7. pagans
8. pagans
9. -
10. Y64
11. 128644
1. ἐν
2. en
3. in
4. -
5. 17220
6. P·······
7. in
8. in
9. -
10. Y64
11. 128645
1. σαρκί
2. sarka
3. +the flesh
4. -
5. 45610
6. N····DFS
7. ˓the˒ flesh
8. ˓the˒ flesh
9. -
10. Y64
11. 128646
1. οἱ
2. ho
3. the ones
4. -
5. 35880
6. R····NMP
7. the ‹ones›
8. the ‹ones›
9. -
10. Y64
11. 128647
1. λεγόμενοι
2. legō
3. being called
4. -
5. 30040
6. VPPP·NMP
7. ˓being˒ called
8. ˓being˒ called
9. -
10. Y64; R128008
11. 128648
1. ἀκροβυστία
2. akrobustia
3. +the uncircumcision
4. uncircumcised
5. 2030
6. N····NFS
7. ˓the˒ uncircumcision
8. ˓the˒ uncircumcision
9. -
10. Y64
11. 128649
1. ὑπό
2. hupo
3. by
4. -
5. 52590
6. P·······
7. by
8. by
9. -
10. Y64
11. 128650
1. τῆς
2. ho
3. the
4. -
5. 35880
6. E····GFS
7. the
8. the
9. -
10. Y64
11. 128651
1. λεγομένης
2. legō
3. being called
4. -
5. 30040
6. VPPP·GFS
7. ˓being˒ called
8. ˓being˒ called
9. -
10. Y64
11. 128652
1. περιτομῆς
2. peritomē
3. circumcision
4. circumcised
5. 40610
6. N····GFS
7. circumcision
8. circumcision
9. -
10. Y64
11. 128653
1. ἐν
2. en
3. in
4. -
5. 17220
6. P·······
7. in
8. in
9. -
10. Y64
11. 128654
1. σαρκί
2. sarka
3. +the flesh
4. -
5. 45610
6. N····DFS
7. ˓the˒ flesh
8. ˓the˒ flesh
9. -
10. Y64
11. 128655
1. χειροποιήτου
2. χeiropoiētos
3. handmade
4. -
5. 54990
6. S····GFS
7. handmade
8. handmade
9. -
10. Y64
11. 128656

SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

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

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 BSB. 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 NCV and GNT. The NCV places “remember” in 2:12. The GNT places “remember” at the end of 2:11.

¹¹You 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.) ^12aRemember that in the past you were without Christ… (NCV)

¹¹You 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. (GNT)

Although the BSB 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

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 remember that formerly you who are Gentiles in the flesh

¶ Therefore, you who were born Gentiles, remember how you were in the past.
¶ Do not forget that you were not born Jewish.

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 (NRSV)

remember that formerly you who are Gentiles in the flesh: The word that the BSB 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 (NLT)

formerly: The word formerly means “in the past” or “previously.”

Here are some other ways to translate this word:

before you believed in Christ

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

people who are not Jews

in the flesh: The Greek phrase which the BSB 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. (NLT)

Remember that once you were not Jewish physically. (GW)

2:11b

and called uncircumcised by the so-called circumcision

You were called “uncircumcised” by the Jews, who call themselves “the circumcised.”
The Jews insultingly say to you, “you are uncircumcised people.” They say this because they proudly consider themselves to be the people of God because they are circumcised.

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

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 (GNT)

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 (NLT)

marked as God’s chosen people

2:11c

(that done in the body by human hands)—

(which refers to what men do to their bodies.) (GNT)
But circumcision is only a ceremony which men do to their bodies.

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 BSB has used parentheses to indicate this. Try to indicate it in a natural way in your language.

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: grammar-connect-logic-result

διὸ

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Διό μνημονεύετε ὅτι ποτέ ὑμεῖς τά ἔθνη ἐν σαρκί οἱ λεγόμενοι ἀκροβυστία ὑπό τῆς λεγομένης περιτομῆς ἐν σαρκί χειροποιήτου)

The connecting word Therefore introduces a reason-result relationship. The reason is that they were saved by God and not by anything they had done on their own. The result is that the Ephesians would remember that they were once separated from God. Use a phrase in your language that connects a reason to a result.

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

τὰ ἔθνη ἐν σαρκί

Here, Gentiles refers to people who were not born Jewish.

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

ἀκροβυστία

˓the˒_uncircumcision

Non-Jewish people were not circumcised as babies, so the Jews considered them people who do not follow any of God’s laws. Alternate translation: [uncircumcised pagans]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

περιτομῆς

circumcision

This was another term for Jewish people because all male infants were circumcised. Alternate translation: [circumcised people]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive

ὑπὸ τῆς λεγομένης

You can translate this with an active form. Alternate translation: [by what people call] or [by those whom people call]

OET-LV English word order (‘Reverse’ interlinear)

Note: The OET-RV is still only a first draft, and so far only a few words have been (mostly automatically) matched to the Hebrew or Greek words that they’re translated from.

Acknowledgements: The SR Greek text, lemmas, morphology, and VLT gloss are all thanks to the CNTR.

OET interlinear EPH 2:11

SR Greek word order (including unused variant words in grey)