One in Christ

¹¹ You were not born Jewish. You are the people the Jews call “uncircumcised.”^[a] Those who call you “uncircumcised” call themselves “circumcised.” (Their circumcision is only something they themselves do on their bodies.) ¹² Remember that in the past you were without Christ. You were not citizens of Israel, and you had no part in the agreements^[b] with the promise that God made to his people. You had no hope, and you did not know God. ¹³ But now in Christ Jesus, you who were far away from God are brought near through the blood of Christ’s death. ¹⁴ Christ himself is our peace. He made both Jewish people and those who are not Jews one people. They were separated as if there were a wall between them, but Christ broke down that wall of hate by giving his own body. ¹⁵ The Jewish law had many commands and rules, but Christ ended that law. His purpose was to make the two groups of people become one new people in him and in this way make peace. ¹⁶ It was also Christ’s purpose to end the hatred between the two groups, to make them into one body, and to bring them back to God. Christ did all this with his death on the cross. ¹⁷ Christ came and preached peace to you who were far away from God, and to those who were near to God. ¹⁸ Yes, it is through Christ we all have the right to come to the Father in one Spirit.