Bible Lexicons

δίψυχος is first found apparently in James 1:8; James 4:8, and may be regarded as a parallel case to διακρίνεσθαι = ";waver,"; see s.v. διακρίνω ad finem. The verb is found in Didache 4.4 οὐ διψυχήσεις, πότερον ἔσται ἢ οὔ. J. B. Mayor’s note (Comm. on James 1:8) shows how rapidly the word ";caught on"; with the sub-apostolic writers—Clement of Rome, ";Barnabas"; and especially Hermas. If James really coined it—and the manner of its appearance in both passages is quite in keeping with such a supposition—its occurrence in i/A.D. writers reinforces many arguments for the early date of Jas. Analogous words are well provided by Mayor. Among them is διχόνους in Philo, in the fragment from the heading of which Thayer cites δίψυχος itself. But can we be assured that Philo himself entitled the paragraph περὶ Δειλῶν καὶ Διψύχων ? Mayor’s silence suggests that he thinks otherwise. Cf. the MGr δίγνωμος, ";fickle.";