King James Bible
"And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh."
Christ's coming brought a gospel of reconciliation, fulfilling Isaiah's prophecy of the Messiah proclaiming peace. This peace refers to restored relationship with God through the cross, not merely an absence of conflict. The Gentiles, previously excluded from God's covenant people and promises to Israel, were spiritually distant. Paul addresses his Ephesian audience directly, acknowledging their former separation from the commonwealth of Israel. The Jews, though possessing the law and covenants, also needed Christ's peace to be truly reconciled to God. This phrase emphasizes that both groups equally required the gospel, breaking down the dividing wall between them.