YAC 3:7 Interlinear View

1. Greek word
2. Greek lemma
3. OET-LV words
4. OET-RV words
5. Strongs
6. Role/Morphology
7. OET Gloss
8. VLT Gloss
9. CAPS codes
10. Confidence
11. OET tags
12. OET word #
1. πάσα
2. pas
3. every
4. -
5. 39560
6. E····NFS
7. every
8. every
9. -
10. Y60
11. 147526
1. Γάρ
2. gar
3. For/Because
4. -
5. 10630
6. C·······
7. for
8. for
9. S
10. Y60
11. 147527
1. φύσις
2. fusis
3. nature
4. -
5. 54490
6. N····NFS
7. nature
8. nature
9. -
10. Y60
11. 147528
1. θηρίων
2. thērion
3. of wild beasts
4. -
5. 23420
6. N····GNP
7. ˱of˲ wild_animals
8. ˱of˲ wild_beasts
9. -
10. Y60
11. 147529
1. τέ
2. te
3. both
4. -
5. 50370
6. C·······
7. both
8. both
9. -
10. Y60
11. 147530
1. καί
2. kai
3. and
4. -
5. 25320
6. C·······
7. and
8. and
9. -
10. Y60
11. 147531
1. πετεινῶν
2. peteinon
3. of birds
4. birds
5. 40710
6. N····GNP
7. ˱of˲ birds
8. ˱of˲ birds
9. -
10. Y60
11. 147532
1. ἑρπετῶν
2. herpeton
3. of reptiles
4. reptiles
5. 20620
6. N····GNP
7. ˱of˲ reptiles
8. ˱of˲ reptiles
9. -
10. Y60
11. 147533
1. τέ
2. te
3. both
4. -
5. 50370
6. C·······
7. both
8. both
9. -
10. Y60
11. 147534
1. καί
2. kai
3. and
4. -
5. 25320
6. C·······
7. and
8. and
9. -
10. Y60
11. 147535
1. ἐναλίων
2. enalios
3. of sea creatures
4. sea creature
5. 17240
6. S····GNP
7. ˱of˲ sea ‹creatures›
8. ˱of˲ sea ‹creatures›
9. -
10. Y60
11. 147536
1. δαμάζεται
2. damazō
3. is being tamed
4. -
5. 11500
6. VIPP3··S
7. ˓is_being˒ tamed
8. ˓is_being˒ tamed
9. -
10. Y60
11. 147537
1. δεδάμασται
2. damazō
3. -
4. -
5. 11500
6. VIEP3··S
7. ˓have_been˒ tamed
8. ˓have_been˒ tamed
9. -
10. -
11. 147538
1. καί
2. kai
3. and
4. -
5. 25320
6. C·······
7. and
8. and
9. -
10. Y60
11. 147539
1. δεδάμασται
2. damazō
3. has been tamed
4. -
5. 11500
6. VIEP3··S
7. ˓has_been˒ tamed
8. ˓has_been˒ tamed
9. -
10. Y60
11. 147540
1. δαμάζεται
2. damazō
3. -
4. -
5. 11500
6. VIPP3··S
7. ˓is_being˒ tamed
8. ˓is_being˒ tamed
9. -
10. -
11. 147541
1. τῇ
2. ho
3. by the
4. -
5. 35880
6. E····DFS
7. ˱by˲ the
8. ˱by˲ the
9. -
10. Y60
11. 147542
1. φύσει
2. fusis
3. nature
4. -
5. 54490
6. N····DFS
7. nature
8. nature
9. -
10. Y60
11. 147543
1. τῇ
2. ho
3. the
4. -
5. 35880
6. E····DFS
7. ¬the
8. ¬the
9. -
10. Y60
11. 147544
1. ἀνθρωπίνῃ
2. anthrōpinos
3. human
4. humankind
5. 4420
6. A····DFS
7. human
8. human
9. -
10. Y60
11. 147545
1. ἀνθρωπίνων
2. anthrōpinos
3. -
4. -
5. 4420
6. S····GMP
7. ˱of˲ humans
8. ˱of˲ humans
9. -
10. -
11. 147546

SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 3:1–12: Believers must be careful what they say

In this section, James warned believers to be careful with their speech. When believers do not control what they say, it can have a devastating, evil impact. This was an especially serious danger for those who taught others in the church. James reinforced his warning with a series of comparisons or illustrations to show how important it is that Christians control their speech.

Introduction

3:1–2a: Becoming a teacher in the church is a serious thing to do

The tongue is compared to small things which have large effects

3:2b–3	A small bit can turn a horse
3:4–5c	A small rudder can turn a sailing ship
3:5d–6	A small fire can destroy much
3:7–8	Animals can be tamed but not our tongues

Each of us should be consistent in using our tongue for good

3:9–10	The tongue should not be used for both blessing and cursing
3:11	Springs produce one kind of water
3:12	Trees produce one kind of fruit

Some other possible headings for this section are:

We must control our speechTranslator’s Handbook on James, page 100.

Controlling the things we say (NCV)

Paragraph 3:7–8

In this paragraph, James contrasted taming wild animals with taming the tongue.

3:7

In Greek, a conjunction connects 3:7 to the verses before it. Older English versions translate this conjunction as “For” (as in the RSV). However, this verse is not giving a reason for something. This conjunction introduces some further thoughts on the dangers of the tongue. Most modern English versions do not use any connecting word here. If your language uses a word to introduce further thoughts on a topic, then you may want to use it here.

Some examples of how to translate this word are:

Furthermore

Moreover

In addition

3:7a

All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and creatures of the sea

¶ Every kind of wild animal, flying thing, crawling thing, and sea creature
¶ As for every kind of wild animal, bird, snake, and fish,

All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and creatures of the sea: In this verse, all living creatures are divided into four categories:

animals
birds
reptiles
creatures of the sea

Different languages divide living creatures in different ways. So it may not be possible to find exact words in your language for each of these four categories. In some languages, it is more natural to divide living creatures in some other way. For example:

wild animals, birds, snakes, and fish

animals that walk, animals that crawl, animals that fly, and animals that swim

every kind of moving thing, even birds and snakes

Some languages have only two or three categories. Use the divisions that are natural in your language.

animals: The Greek word that the BSB translates as animals refers to certain four-footed animals that live on land. It could include the animals that people normally keep under their control like cows, sheep, goats, and dogs. However, the animals in focus here are those that normally live in the wild and that men go out to hunt. These are animals like deer, antelopes, wild pigs, and so on.

Some other ways to translate this word are:

wild animals (GNT)

bush animals

birds: The Greek word that the BSB translates as birds includes all kinds of birds. James may have wanted to include other flying things as well like bats, locusts, and other insects.

reptiles: The Greek word that the BSB translates as reptiles refers to all creatures that move about close to the ground. This includes creatures that slide along the ground such as snakes. It also includes creatures that run close to the ground such as lizards.

Some other ways to translate this word are:

creatures that crawl on the ground (REB)

snakes

creatures of the sea: The Greek word that the BSB translates as creatures of the sea includes all creatures that live in water. This includes fish, whales, eels, crabs, and so on.

Some other ways to translate this word are:

creatures that…swim in the sea (REB)

fish (GNT)

3:7b

are being tamed and have been tamed by man,

is tamed/subdued and has been tamed/subdued by people.
human beings are controlling them all, and they have been controlling them for a long time.

are being tamed and have been tamed: The Greek verb that the BSB translates as tamed occurs twice in 3:7b. This verb is a general word that means “gained control” over a creature. “To gain control” over an animal is: (a) to tame it to be a pet, (b) to make it work for someone, (c) to stop it from eating crops, and even (d) to kill it and eat it.F. Field, Notes on the Translation of the NT , pages 237–238. Mitton, pages 129–130, says, “[The Greek word] would represent also man’s power to destroy such animals as threatened human welfare, as well as to compel other animals to submit to domestic service.” The English word “tamed” is perhaps too specific a word here. It covers only part of the meaning.

Some other ways to translate this verb are:

subdued (REB)

caused to be submissive

made to obey

controlled

The word tamed occurs twice, but the second time the tense is different. This is to make the point that taming creatures has always happened. Men are doing it today, and they have been doing it since the world began.

Both of these verbs are passive. There are at least two ways to translate them:

Use passive verbs. For example:
can be subdued and have been subdued by man (REB)
Use active verbs. This may involve reordering 3:7a–b. For example:
People can tame every kind of wild animal, bird, reptile, and fish, and they have tamed them. (NCV)

man: The Greek word that the BSB translates as man means “mankind” or the “human race.” Here the focus is on all humans as a group.

Some other ways to translate this word are:

people

humans

human beings

General Comment on 3:7a–b

In some languages, it may be more natural to put 3:7b before 3:7a. For example:

^7bHuman beings are subduing and have subdued ^7aall kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and creatures of the sea.

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: grammar-connect-time-background

γὰρ

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: πάσα Γάρ φύσις θηρίων τέ καί πετεινῶν ἑρπετῶν τέ καί ἐναλίων δαμάζεται καί δεδάμασται τῇ φύσει τῇ ἀνθρωπίνῃ)

James uses For to introduce background information in the form of an illustration that will help his readers understand what he wants to teach them. Alternate translation: [Now]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / hyperbole

πᾶσα & φύσις θηρίων τε καὶ πετεινῶν, ἑρπετῶν τε καὶ ἐναλίων, δαμάζεται καὶ δεδάμασται

Here, every is a generalization for emphasis. Alternate translation: [many different kinds of beasts, birds, reptiles, and marine animals are being tamed and have been tamed]

πᾶσα γὰρ φύσις θηρίων τε καὶ πετεινῶν, ἑρπετῶν τε καὶ ἐναλίων

If you retain the generalization in your translation, it might be more natural in your language to use the singular for the creatures on this list. Alternate translation: [every kind of beast, bird, reptile, and marine animal]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / merism

πᾶσα γὰρ φύσις θηρίων τε καὶ πετεινῶν, ἑρπετῶν τε καὶ ἐναλίων

James is using various categories of creatures to mean every creature. Alternate translation: [every kind of creature that exists]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / nominaladj

ἐναλίων

˱of˲_sea_‹creatures›

James is using the adjective marine in the plural as a noun. (ULT adds animals to show this.) Your language may use adjectives in the same way. If not, you could translate the term with an equivalent phrase. Alternate translation: [sea creatures]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive

δαμάζεται καὶ δεδάμασται τῇ φύσει τῇ ἀνθρωπίνῃ

˓is_being˒_tamed (Some words not found in SR-GNT: πάσα Γάρ φύσις θηρίων τέ καί πετεινῶν ἑρπετῶν τέ καί ἐναλίων δαμάζεται καί δεδάμασται τῇ φύσει τῇ ἀνθρωπίνῃ)

If your language does not use this passive form, you can express this with an active form. Alternate translation (place the phrase right after “For”): [the human kind is taming and has tamed]

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / doublet

δαμάζεται καὶ δεδάμασται τῇ φύσει τῇ ἀνθρωπίνῃ

James says both is being tamed and has been tamed for emphasis. If it would be helpful in your language, you could combine them. Alternate translation (place the phrase right after “For”): [the human kind is in the process of taming]

τῇ φύσει τῇ ἀνθρωπίνῃ

˱by˲_the nature ¬the human

Alternate translation: [by people]

OET-LV English word order (‘Reverse’ interlinear)

Note: The OET-RV is still only a first draft, and so far only a few words have been (mostly automatically) matched to the Hebrew or Greek words that they’re translated from.

Acknowledgements: The SR Greek text, lemmas, morphology, and VLT gloss are all thanks to the CNTR.

OET interlinear YAC (JAM) 3:7

SR Greek word order (including unused variant words in grey)

Section 3:1–12: Believers must be careful what they say

Paragraph 3:7–8

3:7

3:7a

3:7b

General Comment on 3:7a–b

OET-LV English word order (‘Reverse’ interlinear)