Paul has already spoken about the past of the Ephesians in this chapter. Remember, in verses 1-4, he spoke about the Ephesians being dead in their sins. But God made them alive!

Paul is pointing out how Jewish people often looked down on Gentile people (remember, Gentile means non-Jewish). He says that the circumcised (or the Jews) called the Gentiles the uncircumcised. Remember, circumcision was a sign of God’s covenant with the Jewish people. So, those who were not Jewish or not marked as God’s covenant people with circumcision were looked down upon by those who were marked as God’s covenant people. They were basically saying, you Gentiles are not part of the covenant, but we Jews are.

Paul gives five descriptors of what it was like for the Ephesians, who originally had non-Jewish heritage. In verse 12, he says they were,
Without Christ,
Excluded from the citizenship of Israel,
Foreigners to the covenants of promise,
Without hope,
And without God in the world.

There is a very important phrase in Verse 13 that says, "But now in Christ Jesus."
Everything has changed for these Gentiles who were without God.
Paul says in verse 13, "you who were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ."

Paul says there are no longer Jews and Gentiles. Instead, there is now one: Christians, the Church, those who are followers of Jesus!