ἀναζωπυρέω (anazōpureō)
anazōpureō
to rekindle
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The verb anazōpureō means to rekindle a fire that has begun to fade. Its imagery is concrete: it describes the act of fanning embers back into flame, restoring heat and light that had dimmed. In the New Testament, this word appears only once, in 2 Timothy 1:6, where Paul urges Timothy not to be ashamed of his testimony but to stir up the gift of God within him.
The word combines a prefix meaning "again" with a root related to fire and burning. This etymology highlights that the spiritual vitality Paul speaks of is not something new being introduced, but an existing flame that needs attention. The sources note that this is a vivid metaphor for maintaining zeal and courage in the face of difficulty or fear.
Translators typically render this as "stir up" or "rekindle," capturing the active effort required to keep faith alive. It suggests that spiritual gifts are not static; they require conscious nurturing to remain effective, much like a fire needs fuel and air to burn brightly.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
When Paul wrote to Timothy, he used a vivid image from daily life: tending a fire that had begun to fade. The word he chose means to rekindle or stir up embers back into flame. This tells us that spiritual zeal is not something we simply possess once and forget. Like any fire, it needs attention, fuel, and air to keep burning brightly.
For your own walk with God, this offers a gentle encouragement. If you feel your passion for faith dimming, or if fear makes you want to hide your beliefs, know that you are not alone. The gift of God is already within you. You do not need to start over; you only need to fan the existing flames back into life.
This process requires no special power from outside yourself, but rather a conscious turning back to what God has already given. It is an invitation to be patient with your own spiritual rhythm. Some days the fire burns high; other days it needs careful tending. Both states are part of a faithful life.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- to kindle anew1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ἀναζωπυρεῖν1×
Key Verses
-
II Timothy 1:6
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.
This is the only New Testament occurrence, where Paul uses the metaphor to urge Timothy to actively restore his spiritual zeal rather than letting it fade due to fear.