James 1:21 (Put away all filthiness and the excess of badness)

Greek (SBLGNT): διὸ ἀποθέμενοι πᾶσαν ῥυπαρίαν καὶ περισσείαν κακίας ἐν πραΰτητι δέξασθε τὸν ἔμφυτον λόγον τὸν δυνάμενον σῶσαι τὰς ψυχὰς ὑμῶν.

Steve Runge explains that James here employs καὶ as a coordinating conjunction to join two noun phrases (πᾶσαν ῥυπαρίαν καὶ περισσείαν κακίας). Later, in verses 22-23, James uses καὶ to make a contrast between being doers of the word or hearers only. The point is that items "of equal status" are connected by the coordinating conjunction, which also functions adversatively at times although Runge prefers the terminology semantic continuity and semantic discontinuity. See Discourse Grammar of the Greek New Testament, page 16. Compare James 1:24, where the writer joins three "main clauses" instead of making them asyndetic (Runge).

Additionally, it is noticeable how James writes ἀποθέμενοι πᾶσαν ῥυπαρίαν in 1:21, then uses πτωχὸς ἐν ῥυπαρᾷ ἐσθῆτι in James 2:2: the former account deals with moral filthiness but the latter is about physical uncleanness. Robert J. Foster maintains the writer's choices "may not be coincidental" in light of Zechariah 3:3-4 (LXX) and Revelation 22:11. That the reader is supposed to perceive a correspondence between moral/spiritual and physical uncleanness is likely. See Foster, "The Significance of Exemplars for the Interpretation of the Book of James," page 53 (Ph.D. Diss.). Luke Timothy Johnson includes James 1:27: remain unspotted (unsoiled) from the world.

Craig Blomberg's observations deserve to be read in full, but he explains that διὸ is a conjunction which links James 1:21 with the previous verse that deals with anger (James, page 87); ἀποθέμενοι is "an aorist temporal participle" that could be rendered "having put off" (Ibid.); Blomberg suggests that πᾶσαν ῥυπαρίαν καὶ περισσείαν κακίας could be translated "all dirtiness and excess of wickedness."

BDAG: ῥυπαρία, ας, ἡ ⟦rhuparía⟧ (since Critias [V b.c.] in Pollux 3, 116) prim. ‘dirt, filth’, fig., in ethical aspect a state of moral defilement or corruption, moral uncleanness, vulgarity (Pel.-Leg. p. 6, 30 ἀφῆκεν ἐν τῷ ὕδατι πᾶσαν αὐτῆς τὴν ῥυπαρίαν; Did., Gen. 89, 9 ἡ ῥ. τῆς ἁμαρτίας), esp. sordid avarice, greediness (Teles p. 33, 4; 37, 5 H.; Plut., Mor. 60d; Cass. Dio 74, 5, 7; TestSol 10:12 C) w. κακία Js 1:21.—DELG s.v. ῥύπος. M-M. Spicq.

Johnson insists that James employs περισσείαν (excessiveness, superfluity), partly for the sake of rhetoric in view of πᾶσαν and other words or phrases that appear in James 1:21. Of course, James is giving serious admonitory counsel to his audience, but he does it with some rhetorical flair. Aristotle, Plato, and Xenophon contrast κακία with ἀρετή. So it's probable that κακία refers to bad behavior or encompasses all vices: see L.T. Johnson, The Letter of James, page 201. A good parallel for James 1:21 is 1 Peter 2:1.

ἐν πραΰτητι δέξασθε τὸν ἔμφυτον λόγον-Plenty of questions arise for this portion of the verse. What does it mean to receive the word (of God) in "meekness"? If James' audience was composed of baptized Christians, then why did they need to have the word implanted? Thirdly, in what sense is the word supposed to be implanted? For possible answers to these questions, see Dan G. McCartney, James, BECNT series, page 116.

One point I will mention in this regard is that τὸν ἔμφυτον apparently does not reference an innate or inborn trait in this context: James Adamson, Ben Witherington III, and Chris Vlachos all mention Herodotus to make this point (see Hist. 9.94). Vlachos points out that the "implanted word" is the Christian gospel (good news), which "most commentators" evidently accept.

τὸν δυνάμενον σῶσαι τὰς ψυχὰς ὑμῶν-James begins this portion of the verse with a present middle participle that agrees with λόγον (accusative singular masculine) plus this participle tells us more about  ἔμφυτον: "the implanted word that is able . . . "

The implanted word has the lasting power to "save your souls," James tells his readers; Vlachos and Witherington III state that τὰς ψυχὰς alludes to the whole person. In many ways, James 1:21 helps Christians to avoid moral filth, bad behavior, malice, and evil tendencies.