Devine Scripture

James 3:7

What does James 3:7 mean?

A plain-English look at James 3:7 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What James 3:7 means

Humanity’s skill and authority extend widely: every kind of animal—beasts, birds, creeping things, and sea creatures—has been tamed or subdued by people. James underscores human capacity for mastery across creation. This achievement makes the next statement more striking: despite such dominion, one member close at hand remains beyond our control. The verse is not self-congratulatory; it prepares a contrast. If humans can harness wild strength outside, why is the inner member so unruly? The observation invites humility. Our greatest challenges are not only out there in the world but also within our mouths, nearer and more persistent than any wild creature.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

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

KJV

King James Version · 1611

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:

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

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

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

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;

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

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,

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

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.

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

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;

Context

This line sets up a sharp contrast with verse 8. Having shown that people can tame the external world, James will assert that the tongue stubbornly resists human mastery. The juxtaposition highlights the unique moral challenge of speech and prepares readers to reject complacency. The argument flows from danger (verse 6) to inability (verse 8), which will then expose hypocrisy in verses 9–12—showing why the tongue must be reformed at the heart level rather than merely restrained by technique.

v.6And the tongue is a fire: the world of iniquity among our members is the tongue, which defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the wheel of nature, and is set on fire by hell.

v.7This passage

v.8but the tongue can no man tame; it is a restless evil, it is full of deadly poison.

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