The Greek epieikes (from epi + eikos, fitting/equitable) describes a disposition that is gentle, yielding, and reasonable — someone who does not insist on the full letter of the law when mercy is more appropriate. Aristotle used the concept to describe equity that transcends strict justice. In the New Testament, it appears as a quality required of church leaders (1 Timothy 3:3; Titus 3:2) and in Philippians 4:5 as a character trait to be made known to all.
'Let your epieikeia be known to all people. The Lord is near' (Philippians 4:5). Paul links this gentle forbearance directly to the nearness of Christ — because the Lord of grace is near, believers can afford to be non-retaliatory, non-demanding, magnanimous toward others. It is the opposite of the harshness that insists on 'every last cent.' James 3:17 lists epieikes as a hallmark of the wisdom from above. It is the gracious middle ground between doormat passivity and rigid legalism.