King James Bible
"Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;"
Paul urges his Gentile readers to recall their former spiritual state before Christ—ethnically non-Jewish and outside God's covenant people. This remembrance serves to magnify God's grace in bringing them near despite their previous exclusion from Israel's promises. The terms highlight the sharp ethnic-religious divide: Jews (the circumcised) used 'uncircumcision' as a derogatory label for Gentiles. This naming emphasizes the social contempt and religious barriers that existed between the two groups. Paul subtly undermines Jewish superiority by noting their circumcision is merely physical—a human ritual performed by human hands. This prepares for his argument that true spiritual transformation transcends such external markers.