“But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.”
But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere — the portrait of heavenly wisdom (sophia anōthen) unfolds as a series of virtues culminating in completeness. The sequence begins with purity (hagnē), then moves through peace-loving (eirēnikē), gentle (epieikēs), open to reason (eupeithēs), and mercy-full (mestē eleous). The wisdom is impartial (adiakritos, literally 'unmixed' or not-prejudiced) and sincere (anypokritos, unhypocritical). This stands in stark contrast to the wisdom of 3:15-16.
Church Fathers on James 3:17
There is, however, another wisdom, which you must repel from you, and pray against its remaining in you; this the same apostle expressed his detestation of when he said, But if you have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, . . . this is not the wisdom which descends from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. For wherever there is envying and strife, there is also confusion, and every evil work. But the wisdom which is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle,…
Nicene & Post-Nicene / Ante-Nicene Fathers translations · public domain
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