SEV Biblia, Chapter 1:21
Por lo cual, dejando toda inmundicia, y restos de malicia, recibid con mansedumbre la Palabra ingerida en vosotros, la cual puede hacer salvas vuestras almas.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - James 1:21
Verse 21. All filthiness] pasan roparian. This word signifies any impurity that cleaves to the body; but applied to the mind, it implies all impure and unholy affections, such as those spoken of ver. 15, which pollute the soul; in this sense it is used by the best Greek writers. Superfluity of naughtiness] perisseian kakiav? The overflowing of wickedness. Perhaps there is an allusion here to the part cut off in circumcision, which was the emblem of impure desire; and to lessen that propensity, God, in his mercy, enacted this rite. Put all these evil dispositions aside, for they blind the soul, and render it incapable of receiving any good, even from that ingrafted word of God which otherwise would have saved their souls.
The ingrafted word] That doctrine which has already been planted among you, which has brought forth fruit in all them that have meekly and humbly received it, and is as powerful to save your souls as the souls of those who have already believed. I think this to be the meaning of emfuton logon, the ingrafted word or doctrine. The seed of life had been sown in the land; many of them had received it to their salvation; others had partially credited it, but not so as to produce in them any saving effects. Besides, they appear to have taken up with other doctrines, from which they had got no salvation; he therefore exhorts them to receive the doctrine of Christ, which would be the means of saving them unto eternal life. And when those who were Jews, and who had been originally planted by God as altogether a right vine, received the faith of the Gospel, it is represented as being ingrafted on that right stock, the pure knowledge of the true God and his holy moral law. This indeed was a good stock on which to implant Christianity. This appears to be what the apostle means by the ingrafted word, which is able to save the soul.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 21. Wherefore lay apart all filthiness , etc.] All manner of filthiness, both of flesh and spirit; all pride, vanity, wrath, malice, and evil speaking, under hearing the word: the allusion seems to be to a boiling pot, which casts up scum and filth, which must be taken off: and such is the spirit of wrathful men; it throws up the filth of haughtiness and pride, of anger, wrath, and wickedness, which must be taken off, and laid aside; or the word will not be heard to any profit, or advantage: and superfluity of naughtiness , or malice; the abundance and overflow of it, which arises from such an evil heart, where wrath prevails, and governs: (see 1 Peter 2:1). There seems to be an allusion to the removing of the superfluous foreskin of the flesh, in circumcision, typical of the foreskin of the heart , spoken of in ( Jeremiah 4:4) which the Targum, in that place, calls wkbl [r , the wickedness, or naughtiness of your hearts to be removed: and receive with meekness the ingrafted word ; which becomes so when it is received; when it is put into the heart by the Spirit of God, and is mixed with faith by them that hear it; so that it is, as it were, incorporated into them, and becomes natural to them, which before was not; and taking deep root in them, brings forth much fruit: and where it comes with power, it reduces every high thought into the obedience of Christ, and makes men meek and humble; and only such receive the truth in the love of it; and to such is the Gospel preached, ( Isaiah 61:1), and none but such hear it with profit and edification: which is able to save your souls ; even your whole persons, both soul and body: but the soul is only mentioned, as being the more excellent part of man: this must not be understood of the word, as if it was the author or cause of salvation, but as an instrument; it being a declaration of salvation by Christ, or what shows unto men the way of salvation by him; and is the power of God unto salvation to them, when it is attended with the energy of the Spirit, and the efficacy of divine grace. (see 2 Timothy 3:15).
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 19-21 - Instead of blaming God under our trials, let us open our ears an hearts to learn what he teaches by them. And if men would govern their tongues, they must govern their passions. The worst thing we can brin to any dispute, is anger. Here is an exhortation to lay apart, and to cast off as a filthy garment, all sinful practices. This must reach to sins of thought and affection, as well as of speech and practice; to every thing corrupt and sinful. We must yield ourselves to the word of God, with humble and teachable minds. Being willing to hear of ou faults, taking it not only patiently, but thankfully. It is the desig of the word of God to make us wise to salvation; and those who propos any mean or low ends in attending upon it, dishonour the gospel, an disappoint their own souls.
Greek Textus Receptus
διο 1352 αποθεμενοι 659 5642 πασαν 3956 ρυπαριαν 4507 και 2532 περισσειαν 4050 κακιας 2549 εν 1722 πραυτητι 4240 δεξασθε 1209 5663 τον 3588 εμφυτον 1721 λογον 3056 τον 3588 δυναμενον 1410 5740 σωσαι 4982 5658 τας 3588 ψυχας 5590 υμων 5216
Vincent's NT Word Studies
21. Filthiness (ruparian). Only here in New Testament, but James uses the kindred adjective (ch. ii. 2), "vile raiment."'Rupov, filth, occurs in 1 Peter iii. 21 - on which see notes; and the verb rJupow, to be filthy, is found in Apoc. xxii. 11.
Superfluity of naughtiness (perisseian kakiav). A translation which may be commended to the attention of indiscriminate panegyrists of the A.V. Perisseia is an unclassical word, and occurs in three other New-Testament passages - Rom. v. 17; 2 Cor. viii. 2; x. 15. In all these it is rendered abundance, both by A.V. and Rev. There seems to be no need of departing from this meaning here, as Rev., overflowing. The sense is abounding or abundant wickedness. For naughtiness Rev. gives wickedness, as in 1 Pet. ii. 1, 16, where it changes malice to wickedness. It is mosty rendered malice in both A.V. and Rev. In this passage, as in the two from Peter, Rev. gives malice, in margin. Malice is an adequate translation, the word denoting a malevolent disposition toward one's neighbor. Hence it is not a general term for moral evil, but a special form of vice. Compare the wrath of man, ver. 20. Naughtiness has acquired a petty sense in popular usage, as of the mischievous pranks of children, which renders it out of the question here.
With meekness (en prauthti). Lit., "in meekness;" opposed to malice.
Engrafted (emfuton). Only here in New Testament. Better, and more literally, as Rev., implanted. It marks a characteristic of the word of truth (ver. 18). It is implanted; divinely given, in contrast with something acquired by study. Compare Matt. xiii. 19, "the word of the kingdom - sown in his heart." Grafted or graffed is expressed by a peculiar word, employed by Paul only, ejgkentrizw, from kentron, a sharp point, thus emphasizing the fact of the incision required in grafting. See Romans xi. 17, 19, 23, 24.
Which is able to save (ton dunamenon swsai). Compare Rom. i. 16, "the power of God unto salvation."
