James 3:7

Mace New Testament

creatures of every kind, beasts, birds, reptiles, and sea-monsters, are frequently tamed by human industry.

Parallel Translations

New American Standard Bible (1995)
For every species of beasts and birds, of reptiles and creatures of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by the human race.

Simplified Cowboy Version
There ain't nothing in the world that hasn't been tamed by man.

Bible in Basic English
For every sort of beast and bird and every living thing on earth and in the sea has been controlled by man and is under his authority;

Darby Translation
For every species both of beasts and of birds, both of creeping things and of sea animals, is tamed and has been tamed by the human species;

World English Bible
For every kind of animal, bird, creeping thing, and thing in the sea, is tamed, and has been tamed by mankind.

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
For every kind both of wild beasts and of birds, both of reptiles and things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed by mankind.

Weymouth's New Testament
For brute nature under all its forms--beasts and birds, reptiles and fishes--can be subjected and kept in subjection by human nature.

King James Version (1611)
For euery kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind.

Literal Translation
For every species of beasts, both indeed of birds, of creeping things, and of sea animals, is tamed, and has been tamed by the human species ;

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
All the natures of beastes, and of byrdes, and of serpentes, and thinges of the see, are meked and tamed of the nature of ma.

THE MESSAGE
This is scary: You can tame a tiger, but you can't tame a tongue—it's never been done. The tongue runs wild, a wanton killer. With our tongues we bless God our Father; with the same tongues we curse the very men and women he made in his image. Curses and blessings out of the same mouth! My friends, this can't go on. A spring doesn't gush fresh water one day and brackish the next, does it? Apple trees don't bear strawberries, do they? Raspberry bushes don't bear apples, do they? You're not going to dip into a polluted mud hole and get a cup of clear, cool water, are you? Do you want to be counted wise, to build a reputation for wisdom? Here's what you do: Live well, live wisely, live humbly. It's the way you live, not the way you talk, that counts. Mean-spirited ambition isn't wisdom. Boasting that you are wise isn't wisdom. Twisting the truth to make yourselves sound wise isn't wisdom. It's the furthest thing from wisdom—it's animal cunning, devilish conniving. Whenever you're trying to look better than others or get the better of others, things fall apart and everyone ends up at the others' throats. Real wisdom, God's wisdom, begins with a holy life and is characterized by getting along with others. It is gentle and reasonable, overflowing with mercy and blessings, not hot one day and cold the next, not two-faced. You can develop a healthy, robust community that lives right with God and enjoy its results only if you do the hard work of getting along with each other, treating each other with dignity and honor.

Amplified Bible
For every species of beasts and birds, of reptiles and sea creatures, is tamed and has been tamed by the human race.

American Standard Version
For every kind of beasts and birds, of creeping things and things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed by mankind:

Revised Standard Version
For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by humankind,

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
All the natures of beastes and of byrdes and of serpentes and thinges of ye see are meked and tamed of the nature of man.

Update Bible Version
For every kind of beasts and birds, of creeping things and things in the sea, is tamed, and has been tamed by mankind.

Webster's Bible Translation
For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of animals in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed by mankind:

Young's Literal Translation
For every nature, both of beasts and of fowls, both of creeping things and things of the sea, is subdued, and hath been subdued, by the human nature,

New Century Version
People can tame every kind of wild animal, bird, reptile, and fish, and they have tamed them,

New English Translation
For every kind of animal, bird, reptile, and sea creature is subdued and has been subdued by humankind.

Berean Standard Bible
All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man,

Contemporary English Version
All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and sea creatures can be tamed and have been tamed.

Complete Jewish Bible
For people have tamed and continue to tame all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures;

English Standard Version
For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind,

Geneva Bible (1587)
For the whole nature of beasts, & of birds, and of creeping things, and things of the sea is tamed, and hath bene tamed of the nature of man.

George Lamsa Translation
For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of creatures of the sea and of the land are under the subjugation of the will of man.

Christian Standard Bible®
Every sea creature, reptile, bird, or animal is tamed and has been tamed by man,

Hebrew Names Version
For every kind of animal, bird, creeping thing, and thing in the sea, is tamed, and has been tamed by mankind.

International Standard Version
For all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and sea creatures can be or have been tamed by the human species,

Etheridge Translation
For every nature of animals, and of birds, and reptiles of the sea, and of the dry land, have been subjected to the human nature;

Murdock Translation
For all natures of beasts and birds and reptiles, of the sea or land, are subjugated by the nature of man.

New King James Version
For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind.

New Living Translation
People can tame all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and fish,

New Life Bible
Men can make all kinds of animals and birds and fish and snakes do what they want them to do.

English Revised Version
For every kind of beasts and birds, of creeping things and things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed by mankind:

New Revised Standard
For every species of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by the human species,

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
For, every nature - both of wild beasts and of birds, both of reptiles and of things in the sea, is to be tamed, and hath been tamed, by the human nature;

Douay-Rheims Bible
For every nature of beasts and of birds and of serpents and of the rest is tamed and hath been tamed, by the nature of man.

King James Version
For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind:

Lexham English Bible
For every species of animals and birds, of reptiles and sea creatures, is being tamed and has been tamed by the human species,

Bishop's Bible (1568)
All the natures of beastes, & of byrdes, and of serpentes, and thynges of the sea, are meeked and tamed of the nature of man:

Easy-to-Read Version
Humans have control over every kind of wild animal, bird, reptile, and fish, and they have controlled all these things.

New American Standard Bible
For every species of beasts and birds, of reptiles and creatures of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by the human race.

Good News Translation
We humans are able to tame and have tamed all other creatures—wild animals and birds, reptiles and fish.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And al the kynde of beestis, and of foulis, and of serpentis, and of othere is chastisid, and tho ben maad tame of mannus kinde; but no man mai chastise the tunge,

Contextual Overview

¹ My brethren, don't affect many of you to be doctors, considering, that those of us who are such, shall be tried with the greater severity. ² for we are all liable to frequent mistakes. he that does not give too great a loose to his tongue, is an accomplish'd person and fit to moderate the whole church. ³ you see how manageable horses are made by the application of a bit, which makes them take what motion we please. ⁴ a ship too of the greatest burthen, tho' the wind bears hard, by means of an inconsiderable helm, veers about as the hand of the pilot directs her. ⁵ so the tongue is but a small part of the body, yet how grand are its pretensions. a spark of fire! what quantities of timber will it blow into a flame? ⁶ the tongue is a brand that sets the world in a combustion: it is but one of the numerous organs of the body, yet it can blast whole assemblies: tipp'd with infernal sulphur it sets the whole train of life in a blaze. ⁷ creatures of every kind, beasts, birds, reptiles, and sea-monsters, are frequently tamed by human industry. ⁸ but who could ever tame the tongue? arm'd with deadly poison, the mischief scorns restraint. ⁹ By that we give praises to God the father: and that pronounces curses even against men, who are form'd after the divine resemblance. ¹⁰ from the same mouth shall blessing and cursing proceed? this ought not to be practis'd, my brethren;

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

kind: Gr. nature

is tamed: Mark 5:4, Gr

mankind: Gr. the nature of man

Reciprocal: Genesis 1:26 - have dominion Genesis 9:2 - General

Cross-References

Luke 16:23
and being in the infernal regions of torments, he lift up his eyes, and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bower.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

For every kind of beasts, and of birds,.... Or the "nature" of them, as it is in the Greek text; however fierce, as beasts of prey are, or shy, as the fowls of the air be:

and of serpents and things in the sea; the fishes there:

is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind, or "by human nature": by the wit and industry of man; by the various ways, means, and methods devised by man. So Pliny l relates, that elephants lions and tigers among beasts, and the eagle among birds, and crocodiles, asps, and other serpents, and fishes of the sea, have been tamed: though some think this is only to be understood of their being mastered and subdued, by one means or another; or of their being despoiled of their power, or of their poison: and the Syriac and Ethiopic versions render it, "subjected to human nature".

l Nat. Hist. l. 8. c. 9. 16, 17. & 10. 5, 44.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

For every kind of beasts - The apostle proceeds to state another thing showing the power of the tongue, the fact that it is ungovernable, and that there is no power of man to keep it under control. Everything else but this has been tamed. It is unnecessary to refine on the expressions used here, by attempting to prove that it is literally true that every species of beasts, and birds, and fishes has been tamed. The apostle is to be understood as speaking in a general and popular sense, showing the remarkable power of man over those things which are by nature savage and wild. The power of man in taming wild beasts is wonderful. Indeed, it is to be remembered that nearly all those beasts which we now speak of as “domestic” animals, and which we are accustomed to see only when they are tame, were once fierce and savage races. This is the case with the horse, the ox, the ass, (see the notes at Job 11:12; Job 39:5), the swine, the dog, the cat, etc. The editor of the Pictorial Bible well remarks, “There is perhaps no kind of creature, to which man has access, which might not be tamed by him with proper perseverance. The ancients seem to have made more exertions to this end, and with much better success, than ourselves. The examples given by Pliny, of creatures tamed by men, relate to elephants, lions, and tigers, among beasts; to the eagle, among birds; to asps, and other serpents; and to crocodiles, and various fishes, among the inhabitants of the water. Natural History viii. 9, 16, 17; x. 5, 44. The lion was very commonly tamed by the ancient Egyptians, and trained to assist both in hunting and in war.” Notes in loc. The only animal which it has been supposed has defied the power of man to tame it, is the hyena, and even this, it is said, has been subdued, in modern times. There is a passage in Euripides which has a strong resemblance to this of James:

Βραχὺ τοι σθένος ἀνέρος

Ἀλλὰ ποικιλίαις πραπίδων

Δαμᾷ φῦλα πόντου,

Χθονίων τ ̓ ἀερίων τε παιδεύματα.

Brachu toi sthenos aneros

Alla poikiliais prapidōn

Dama phula pontou,

Chthoniōn t' aeriōn te paideumata.

“Small is the power which nature has given to man; but, by various acts of his superior understanding, he has subdued the tribes of the sea, the earth, and the air.” Compare on this subject, the passages quoted by Pricaeus in the Critici Sacri, in loc.

And of birds - It is a common thing to tame birds, and even the most wild are susceptible of being tamed. A portion of the leathered race, as the hen, the goose, the duck, is thoroughly domesticated. The pigeon, the martin, the hawk, the eagle, may be; and perhaps there are none of that race which might not be made subject to the will of man.

And of serpents - The ancients showed great skill in this art, in reference to asps and other venomous serpents, and it is common now in India. In many instances, indeed, it is known that the fangs of the serpents are extracted; but even when this is not done, they who practice the art learn to handle them with impunity.

And of things in the sea - As the crocodile mentioned by Pliny. It may be affirmed with confidence that there is no animal which might not, by proper skill and perseverance, be rendered tame, or made obedient to the will of man. It is not necessary, however, to understand the apostle as affirming that literally every animal has been tamed, or ever can be. He evidently speaks in a popular sense of the great power which man undeniably has over all kinds of wild animals - over the creation beneath him.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 7. Every kind of beasts — That is, every species of wild beasts, πασα φυσις θηριων, is tamed, i.e. brought under man's power and dominion. Beasts, birds, serpents, and some kinds of fishes have been tamed so as to be domesticated; but every kind, particularly των εναλιων, of sea monsters, has not been thus tamed; but all have been subjected to the power of man; both the shark and whale become an easy prey to the skill and influence of the human being. I have had the most credible information, when in the Zetland Isles, of the seals being domesticated, and of one that would pass part of his time on shore, receive his allowance of milk, &c., from the servants, go again to sea, and return, and so on.