2 Timothy 1:5-14

5 I am reminded of ¹your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and ²your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well.

6 For this reason I remind you ³to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands,

7 for God gave us ⁴a spirit not of fear but ⁵of power and love and self-control.

8 Therefore ⁶do not be ashamed of ⁷the testimony about our Lord, nor of ⁸me his prisoner, but ⁹share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God,

9 ¹⁰who saved us and ¹¹called us to^[a] a holy calling, ¹²not because of our works but because of ¹³his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus ¹⁴before the ages began,^[b]

10 and which now has ¹⁵been manifested through ¹⁶the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, ¹⁷who abolished death and ¹⁸brought life and ¹⁹immortality to light through the gospel,

11 ²⁰for which I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher,

12 ²¹which is why I suffer as I do. But ²²I am not ashamed, for ²³I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until ²⁴that Day ²⁵what has been entrusted to me.^[c]

13 ²⁶Follow ²⁷the pattern of ²⁸the sound^[d] words ²⁹that you have heard from me, in ³⁰the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.

14 By the Holy Spirit ³¹who dwells within us, guard ³²the good deposit entrusted to you.

2 Timothy 1:5-14 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO 2 TIMOTHY

That this epistle was written to Timothy, while he was at Ephesus, where the apostle in his former epistle had desired him to stay, is evident from his making mention of some persons in it, who were Ephesians; as Onesiphorus, whom he commends, and Alexander the coppersmith, of whom he complains: and that this epistle was written by the apostle, when he was at Rome, is no less evident; for he expressly calls himself a prisoner, 2Ti 1:8 and speaks of being then in trouble, and in bonds, 2Ti 2:9,10 and the persons that send their salutations in it to Timothy were Romans, 2Ti 4:21 but at what time it was written is not so certain: it seems by 2Ti 4:7 that it was but a little time before his martyrdom; though those words may only signify, that he was now very much on the decline of life, was now grown an old man, and in continual expectation of death, and was in a constant readiness for it, come when it would; having faithfully discharged his duty, and his warfare being as good as accomplished, and his race almost run out; for he afterwards presses Timothy to come to him, and that before winter; and desires him to bring with him his cloak, books, and parchments, which one would think he would have little occasion for, if just upon his martyrdom: besides, he says he was delivered out of the mouth of the lion, that by him the preaching of the Gospel might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear it; and expresses his confidence, that he should be again delivered, 2Ti 4:9,13,17,18. And it looks as if this epistle was written before the epistles to the Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon, since it appears that Timothy did come to him at Rome; as here desired, and is joined with the apostle in those epistles. Some, therefore, have placed this epistle in the year 58, or 59, about the fourth or fifth of Nero's reign. The design of it is to stir up Timothy to the faithful and diligent discharge of his duty, as a minister of the Gospel; to abide constantly by the truths of it, and to animate him to suffer patiently, cheerfully, and courageously for the sake of it; and to warn him against false teachers, and their errors, who were already risen, and would afterwards arise, and be followed by such who had itching ears, and could not bear sound doctrine; but this should be no discouragement to him in the prosecution of his work; and lastly to desire his presence with him at Rome, being now destitute of his several assistants.

\\INTRODUCTION TO 2 TIMOTHY 1\\

In this chapter, after the inscription and salutation, the apostle expresses his great affection for Timothy, and highly commends him; exhorts him to various things relating to his office, as a preacher of the Gospel; and concludes with taking notice of the kindness shown him by Onesiphorus. The inscription and salutation are in 2Ti 1:1,2 and then follows the preface to the epistle, in which the apostle testifies his great love to Timothy, and commends him; by declaring his thankfulness to God, that he had reason always to remember him in his prayers; by his desire to see him again, who had shed so many tears for him, that his joy might be filled; and by taking notice of his unfeigned faith, the same with that which had dwelt in his ancestors, 2Ti 1:3-5. And then he proceeds to exhort him to the exercise and improvement of his ministerial gift; to show a fortitude of mind, and a manly spirit in the cause of Christ; and to suffer cheerfully for the sake of it, 2Ti 1:6-8 and in order to animate and encourage him to the same, he gives a summary of the Gospel, as containing in it the great doctrines of salvation, and eternal life, according to the free grace of God through Jesus Christ, 2Ti 1:9,10 and observes, that he himself was appointed a preacher of it to the Gentiles, 2Ti 1:11 and instances in himself, as suffering for it, without being ashamed; and as having a strong confidence in Christ, as able to keep him, and what he had committed to him, 2Ti 1:12 and then returns to his exhortation to Timothy to hold fast the Gospel of Christ; to which he urges him from the consideration of the nature and value of it, being a form of sound words, and that famous good thing, and of the means and manner in which he came to the knowledge of it; and chiefly from its being committed to him by the Holy Ghost, that dwelt in him; and also because of the general defection of the Asian professors from it, 2Ti 1:13-15 but he excepts one person, Onesiphorus by name, whom he commends for his kindness to him both at Ephesus and at Rome; and therefore entreats of the Lord mercy, both for him and his house, at the great day, 2Ti 1:16-18.

Cross References

• 1. Romans 12:9; 1 Timothy 1:5
• 2. Acts 16:1; [2 Timothy 3:15; Psalms 86:16; Psalms 116:16]
• 3. 1 Timothy 4:14; [1 Thessalonians 5:19]
• 4. Romans 8:15; [John 14:27; Revelation 21:8]
• 5. Luke 24:49; Acts 1:8
• 6. See Mark 8:38
• 7. See 1 Corinthians 1:6
• 8. [ver. 16]; See Ephesians 3:1
• 9. 2 Timothy 2:3, 9; 2 Timothy 4:5
• 10. 1 Timothy 1:1; Titus 3:4
• 11. [Hebrews 3:1]; See Romans 8:28
• 12. Titus 3:5; See Romans 3:27
• 13. [Hebrews 3:1]; See Romans 8:28
• 14. Titus 1:2; [Romans 16:25]; See Ephesians 1:4
• 15. See Romans 16:26
• 16. See 2 Thessalonians 2:8
• 17. 1 Corinthians 15:26; [1 Corinthians 15:54, 55; Hebrews 2:14, 15]
• 18. [Job 33:30]
• 19. Romans 2:7
• 20. See 1 Timothy 2:7
• 21. 2 Timothy 2:9
• 22. ver. 8
• 23. [Psalms 10:14; 1 Peter 4:19]
• 24. ver. 18; 2 Timothy 4:8; See 1 Corinthians 3:13
• 25. 1 Timothy 6:20
• 26. [2 Timothy 3:14; Titus 1:9; Revelation 3:3]
• 27. [Romans 2:20; Romans 6:17]
• 28. See 1 Timothy 1:10
• 29. 2 Timothy 2:2
• 30. 1 Timothy 1:14
• 31. See Romans 8:9
• 32. [See ver. 12 above]

Footnotes

• [a]. Or with
• [b]. Greek before times eternal
• [c]. Or what I have entrusted to him; Greek my deposit
• [d]. Or healthy