2 Timothy 1: Fan the Gift Into Flame
Paul recalls Timothy's sincere faith and urges him to stir up God's gift and never be ashamed of the gospel or of Paul's chains.
2 Timothy 1 (WEB)
1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, according to the promise of the life which is in Christ Jesus,
2 to Timothy, my beloved child: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
3 I thank God, whom I serve as my forefathers did, with a pure conscience. How unceasing is my memory of you in my petitions, night and day
4 longing to see you, remembering your tears, that I may be filled with joy;
5 having been reminded of the sincere faith that is in you; which lived first in your grandmother Lois, and your mother Eunice, and, I am persuaded, in you also.
6 For this cause, I remind you that you should stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands.
7 For God didn’t give us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control.
8 Therefore don’t be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner; but endure hardship for the Good News according to the power of God,
9 who saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given to us in Christ Jesus before times eternal,
10 but has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who abolished death, and brought life and immortality to light through the Good News.
11 For this, I was appointed as a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles.
12 For this cause I also suffer these things. Yet I am not ashamed, for I know him whom I have believed, and I am persuaded that he is able to guard that which I have committed to him against that day.
13 Hold the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.
14 That good thing which was committed to you, guard through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us.
15 This you know, that all who are in Asia turned away from me; of whom are Phygelus and Hermogenes.
16 May the Lord grant mercy to the house of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain,
17 but when he was in Rome, he sought me diligently, and found me
18 (the Lord grant to him to find the Lord’s mercy in that day); and in how many things he served at Ephesus, you know very well.
2 Timothy 1 (KJV)
1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus,
2 To Timothy, my dearly beloved son: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
3 I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience, that without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day;
4 Greatly desiring to see thee, being mindful of thy tears, that I may be filled with joy;
5 When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also.
6 Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands.
7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
8 Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God;
9 Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,
10 But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel:
11 Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles.
12 For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.
13 Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.
14 That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us.
15 This thou knowest, that all they which are in Asia be turned away from me; of whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes.
16 The Lord give mercy unto the house of Onesiphorus; for he oft refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain:
17 But, when he was in Rome, he sought me out very diligently, and found me.
18 The Lord grant unto him that he may find mercy of the Lord in that day: and in how many things he ministered unto me at Ephesus, thou knowest very well.
2 Timothy 1 (ASV)
1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God, according to the promise of the life which is in Christ Jesus,
2 to Timothy, my beloved child: Grace, mercy, peace, from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
3 I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers in a pure conscience, how unceasing is my remembrance of thee in my supplications, night and day
4 longing to see thee, remembering thy tears, that I may be filled with joy;
5 having been reminded of the unfeigned faith that is in thee; which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and, I am persuaded, in thee also.
6 For which cause I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee through the laying on of my hands.
7 For God gave us not a spirit of fearfulness; but of power and love and discipline.
8 Be not ashamed therefore of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but suffer hardship with the gospel according to the power of God;
9 who saved us, and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before times eternal,
10 but hath now been manifested by the appearing of our Saviour Christ Jesus, who abolished death, and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel,
11 whereunto I was appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher.
12 For which cause I suffer also these things: yet I am not ashamed; for I know him whom I have believed, and I am persuaded that he is able to guard that which I have committed unto him against that day.
13 Hold the pattern of sound words which thou hast heard from me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.
14 That good thing which was committed unto thee guard through the Holy Spirit which dwelleth in us.
15 This thou knowest, that all that are in Asia turned away from me; of whom are Phygelus and Hermogenes.
16 The Lord grant mercy unto the house of Onesiphorus: for he oft refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain;
17 but, when he was in Rome, he sought me diligently, and found me
18 (the Lord grant unto him to find mercy of the Lord in that day); and in how many things he ministered at Ephesus, thou knowest very well.
Summary
Paul writes as an apostle of Christ Jesus to Timothy, his beloved child, praying for him constantly with thanksgiving and longing to see him again, remembering his tears. He recalls the sincere faith that lived first in Timothy's grandmother Lois and his mother Eunice and now in Timothy too. On this basis Paul urges him to stir up the gift of God that came through the laying on of Paul's hands, because God has not given us a spirit of fear but of power, love, and self-control. So Timothy must not be ashamed of the testimony of the Lord, nor of Paul his prisoner, but join in suffering for the Good News by the power of God—the God who saved and called us, not by our works but by his own purpose and grace given in Christ before time began. That grace has now appeared in our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light. Paul, appointed a preacher and teacher, suffers for this gospel yet is not ashamed, persuaded that the Lord can guard what he has committed to him against that day. He charges Timothy to hold the pattern of sound words and guard the good deposit through the indwelling Holy Spirit. Finally he laments that all in Asia turned away from him, while honoring Onesiphorus, who often refreshed him and was not ashamed of his chain.
Key Figures
- Paul — The imprisoned apostle who writes with fatherly love, praying for Timothy, modeling unashamed suffering for the gospel, and trusting the Lord to guard what he has entrusted to him.
- Timothy — Paul's beloved child in the faith, heir of the sincere faith of Lois and Eunice, urged to fan his gift into flame and not shrink back in fear or shame.
- Christ Jesus our Savior — The one who saved and called us by grace given before time, who has now appeared, abolished death, and brought life and immortality to light through the Good News.
- Onesiphorus — A faithful friend who often refreshed Paul, was not ashamed of his chains, and sought him out diligently in Rome—a contrast to those in Asia who turned away.
Key Verse
2 Timothy 1:7 (WEB)
For God didn’t give us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control.
Lessons Learned
- Faith is often passed down through family and mentors, but it must become sincerely our own (2 Timothy 1:5).
- The gifts God gives are meant to be stirred up and used, not left to grow cold (2 Timothy 1:6).
- Fear is not from God; he supplies power, love, and self-control for the task he gives us (2 Timothy 1:7).
- Salvation flows from God's own purpose and grace, given in Christ before time began, not from our works (2 Timothy 1:9).
- We can suffer for the gospel without shame because the Lord is able to guard what we entrust to him (2 Timothy 1:12).
- Sincere faith is meant to be passed on. Paul recalls the faith "which lived first in your grandmother Lois, and your mother Eunice" (2 Timothy 1:5, WEB). God often works through generations and mentors to plant living faith.
- Stir up the gift God gave you. "Stir up the gift of God which is in you" (2 Timothy 1:6, WEB). Grace is given to be exercised and rekindled, not buried under fear or neglect.
- Replace fear with God's Spirit. "God didn't give us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control" (2 Timothy 1:7, WEB). Timidity is not the Spirit's mark; courage shaped by love is.
- Salvation is grace, not works. God "saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace" (2 Timothy 1:9, WEB). Our calling rests on his eternal purpose.
- We can trust God to guard the deposit. "I am persuaded that he is able to guard that which I have committed to him" (2 Timothy 1:12, WEB). Suffering loses its shame when we know who keeps what we entrust to him.
- How does Paul describe the faith of Timothy's grandmother and mother, and why does he mention them here?
- What does it mean to "stir up the gift of God" (1:6), and what might cause a gift to grow dim?
- Paul contrasts a spirit of fear with power, love, and self-control (1:7). How are these the antidote to being ashamed of the gospel?
- How does Onesiphorus's example (1:16-18) illustrate the kind of courage Paul is calling Timothy to?
- Where are you tempted to be ashamed of Christ or to shrink back in fear, and how does Paul's confidence in verse 12 speak to that?
- Paul names Lois and Eunice as the women whose sincere faith preceded and shaped Timothy's own (1:5). He mentions them to remind Timothy that his faith has deep, genuine roots and to encourage him to live up to that heritage. Help the group reflect on those who handed faith on to them.
- To stir up the gift is to actively use and rekindle the grace God has given, like fanning embers into flame. Gifts grow dim through fear, neglect, discouragement, or comfort. Invite the group to consider gifts they may be letting lie dormant and what fanning them into flame would look like.
- Shame and fear often silence us; Paul says God supplies power to act, love to motivate us, and self-control to stay the course (1:7). These are not natural bravado but the Spirit's work, freeing us to own the gospel openly even when it costs us.
- Onesiphorus was not ashamed of Paul's chain and sought him out diligently in Rome (1:16-17), refreshing him repeatedly. He embodies courageous, unashamed loyalty to a suffering servant of Christ—exactly the boldness Paul urges on Timothy, and a model the group can imitate toward those who suffer for the faith.
- This is a personal-application question. Encourage honest reflection on settings where fear or embarrassment keeps us quiet about Christ. Point to verse 12: when we know whom we have believed and that he guards what we entrust to him, shame gives way to confidence. Keep the tone gentle and hopeful.