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James 3:7

in James 3

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

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

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

KJV

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:

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This verse in James 3

Commentary

10 notes on this verse

A commentator

Theophylact of Ohrid

Commentary on James · Written before 1107.

This reason should be related to what was said above. The apostle said, and by the example of bits and a rudder explained, that although they are small, under good management they produce great results, and added that the tongue likewise must be managed rationally. …

This site's exposition

All kinds of animals, birds

on James 3:7-8

All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, the dominion of Genesis 1. Yet no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison, like a serpent's venom.

The record, by era

The Church Fathers1 voice

A commentator

Oecumenius

Commentary on James · Written before 550.

proposed

For all nature of beasts and fowls and serpents and of the rest is tamed and has been tamed by the nature of man. But the tongue no man can tame, an unquiet evil, full of deadly poison. By it we bless God and the …

The Medieval Church2 voices

A commentator

Bede

Commentary on the Catholic Epistles · Written before 735.

proposed

For every kind of beast, and bird, and serpent, and that of others, is tamed and has been tamed by human nature. We read in Pliny that the most enormous asp of serpents in Egypt was tamed by the head of a household, and daily …

A commentator

Andreas of Caesarea

CATENA · Written before 614.

proposed

James says that it is unnatural that we should be able to domesticate all the creatures but not be able to control our own tongues.

The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

proposed

No man can tame the tongue without supernatural grace and assistance." The apostle does not intend to represent it as a thing impossible, but as a thing extremely difficult, which therefore will require great watchfulness, and pains, and prayer, to keep it in due order. And sometimes all is too little; for it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.

quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — odd-straight-quotes

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.
3 more voices on this verse

The Nineteenth Century3 voices

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.

A commentator

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

The dative in the Greek may imply, "Hath suffered itself to be brought into tame subjection TO the nature of men." So it shall be in the millennial world; even now man, by gentle firmness, may tame the inferior animal, and even elevate its nature.

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

proposed

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, etc., from the servants, go again to sea, and return, and so on.

The words behind it

18 Greek words

Every Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

Related verses

3 in all, six open

The walk

1 stop

Each card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.

  • Through

    Mark 5:4

    Though he was often bound with chains and shackles, he had broken the chains and shattered the shackles. Now there was no one with the strength to subdue him.

    it leads to

    • James 3:7–8

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

Where this verse is studied

About James

Saint James the Younger, El Greco, 1600. Public domain.
Saint James the Younger, El Greco, 1600. Public domain.
James: the study guide →Read James 3 →
This page draws on 10 works. Open the list of works

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the New Testament; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Andreas of Caesarea, CATENA; Bede, Commentary on the Catholic Epistles; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Oecumenius, Commentary on James and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on James.

Read on in James 3 →