James 3:17's description of the wisdom that comes from God, contrasted with the earthly, sensual, devilish wisdom of the prior verses: 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. James lists seven marks. First pure — the priority is unmistakable; wisdom that compromises moral integrity for the sake of peace is not wisdom from above. Then peaceable — peace is real but second to purity. The remaining marks (gentleness, willingness to be entreated, mercy, good fruit, impartiality, no hypocrisy) all flow from the prior two. The contrast with earthly wisdom (vv. 14-16, marked by bitter envying and strife) is sharp: where one produces confusion and every evil work, the other produces a harvest of righteousness sown in peace.