Some of you are Gentiles, not Jews, by birth. You’re called “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “circumcised.” But they’ve only been circumcised in their bodies by human hands.
In Christ, you have received a circumcision that has not been done by human hands. Your circumcision has been done by Christ, and he has put away the person you used to be when wrong desires ruled over you.
At one time you were dead in your sins, and your wrong desires were not circumcised. But God gave you new life together with Christ. He forgave us all our sins
We’re the ones who have truly been circumcised: We serve God by his Spirit, we boast in Christ Jesus, and we don’t put our trust in who we are or what we can do—although I myself could do that for many reasons.
The people who are trying to get you to be circumcised want others to be impressed with them. They don’t want to suffer for saying that we have to depend entirely on the cross of Christ.
Some of you used to do things like that. But you were washed and made holy and right with God in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
Someone who isn’t circumcised physically, but who obeys the law, will show that you’re guilty if you break the law, even though you have it in writing and you are circumcised.
Some of the natural branches have been broken off. You Gentiles are like a wild olive branch that has been grafted onto the tree with the other branches. Now you’re enjoying the life-giving sap of the olive tree root.
You were following the ways of this world and serving the one who rules over the spiritual forces of evil. That’s the spirit who’s still at work in those who aren’t obeying God.