II Timothy 1:6 · Bible study
2 Timothy 1:6 Commentary: Fan into Flame
Greek · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Learn the meaning of 'stir up the gift of God' in 2 Timothy 1:6. Discover how believers rekindle their spiritual gifts through faith and action.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Paul exhorts Timothy to actively rekindle the spiritual gift conferred at his ordination, using the image of fanning embers into flame.
- Key words: Anazōpureō (to kindle anew); charisma (gift of grace); epithesis cheirōn (laying on of hands).
- Main debate: Whether Timothy's gift had actually diminished or only needed activation; most see the latter.
- Theological theme: The cooperation of divine grace and human responsibility in sustaining spiritual life and ministry.
- Best use: Encouraging pastors, teachers, and all believers to faithfully exercise the gifts God has given them.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands.
WEB World English Bible 2000
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.
KJV King James Version 1769
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.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
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.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
For which cause I remind thee to stir up the gift of God that is in thee through the putting on of my hands,
Darby Darby Bible 1890
For which cause I put thee in mind to rekindle the gift of God which is in thee by the putting on of my hands.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
For which cause I admonish thee that thou stir up the grace of God which is in thee by the imposition of my hands.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Por lo cual|strong="G3739, G0156" te aconsejo que despiertes el don de Dios, que está en ti por la imposición de mis manos.
Por essa causa lembro-te de reacenderes o dom de Deus que está em ti pela imposição das minhas mãos.
C’ est pourquoi je t’exhorte à ranimer le don de Dieu que tu as reçu par l’ imposition de mes mains.
Um solcher Ursache willen erinnere ich dich, daß du erweckest die Gabe Gottes, die in dir ist durch die Auflegung meiner Hände.
Om welke oorzaak ik u indachtig maak, dat gij opwekt de gave Gods, die in u is, door de oplegging mijner handen.
Per questa ragione ti ricordo di ravvivare il dono di Dio che è in te per la imposizione delle mie mani.
Dla której przyczyny przypominam ci, abyś wzniecał dar Boży, który w tobie jest przez włożenie rąk moich.
По сей причине напоминаю тебе возгревать дар Божий, который в тебе через мое рукоположение;
為 此 我提醒 你，使你將 神 藉 我 按 手 所給 你 的恩賜 再如火挑旺起來。
For this reason I say to you, Let that grace of God which is in you, given to you by my hands, have living power.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · II Timothy 1:6
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree on the core image: the Greek verb anazōpureō means to rekindle or fan a flame, as one would stir embers back into life. Vincent's Word Studies notes the word combines 'again' and 'alive' with 'fire', a piece of hot coal needing to be blown into a blaze. Clarke, Barnes, Gill, and Wesley all draw the same metaphor: piety compared to a fire that, if not tended, will go out. The 'gift of God' is the charisma, a grace-gift for ministry, conferred through Paul's laying on of hands along with the presbytery (1 Timothy 4:14). Paul does not accuse Timothy of losing his gift; rather, he urges active, ongoing use of it. The consensus is clear: the gift is entirely God's, but the stirring is a human responsibility. As Matthew Henry puts it, 'Use gifts and have gifts.' This verse does not teach that grace can be earned, only that it must be exercised.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: God gives a gift for ministry; that gift must be actively maintained and exercised by the believer; the gift was transmitted through the laying on of apostolic hands.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning of 'gift of God' | It is a specific grace or enablement for ministry, given by the Holy Spirit. | Some emphasize extraordinary gifts (miracles, prophecy); others focus on ordinary pastoral gifts (teaching, preaching). Both see it as supernatural. |
| Role of ordination in conveying the gift | Laying on of hands by Paul and the presbytery was the external means through which the gift was conferred. | Catholics and some Anglicans see this as a sacramental moment transmitting apostolic authority; Reformed and Baptists view it as a solemn recognition of grace already given. The text itself says 'through' not 'by means of' exclusively. |
| Human responsibility vs divine grace | The gift is entirely God's, but its exercise requires human effort. | Wesleyan traditions stress 'working with God' and the danger of receiving grace in vain (Clarke); Calvinist traditions stress that the stirring itself is enabled by grace (Barnes). Both affirm both sides, with different accents. |
| Timothy's condition, was he failing? | Paul does not accuse him of sin; he gently urges renewed activity. | Some commentators (Lange, Cambridge) suggest Timothy was discouraged by Paul's imprisonment; others (Gill, Henry) see a possible neglect through busyness or timidity. All agree the call is to rekindle, not to repent. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Paul writes from a Roman prison, likely near his execution in AD 68. Timothy is in Ephesus, a demanding urban center with a young church. Paul's opening moves are tender: he thanks God for Timothy's sincere faith, which lived first in his grandmother Lois and mother Eunice (2 Timothy 1:5). Then comes the 'for this cause', because he knows that faith is real, Paul dares to challenge Timothy. The verb 'I remind' (anamimnēskō) suggests gentle repetition, not a sharp rebuke. Timothy's discouragement may have grown from Paul's chains and the opposition he faced; several commentators, like the Cambridge Bible, note a possible despondency over the Church's setbacks.
The laying on of hands was the early Church's ordained means of imparting spiritual enablement for ministry. Acts 8:17 shows the apostles' hands conveying the Holy Spirit. Here Paul refers to 'my hands' (singular), while 1 Timothy 4:14 mentions 'the hands of the presbytery.' There is no contradiction: Paul was the chief actor in Timothy's ordination, and the presbytery concurred. The gift itself, a charisma, was not a permanent deposit that would function automatically. Like a fire needing fuel and air, it required Timothy's deliberate attention. Paul's situation adds gravity: if a dying apostle could still urge fresh zeal, how much more should a younger minister press on.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for 2 Timothy 1:6. The Greek text is stable across the manuscript tradition. The verb anazōpureō appears only here in the New Testament, but its meaning is clear from its compound elements and from Septuagint usage.
Reception History
Throughout church history, 2 Timothy 1:6 has been a key text for ordination sermons and pastoral encouragement. The Geneva Bible Notes (1599) used it to urge ministers to stir up their gifts lest they grow cold. Adam Clarke (Methodist, 1826) saw in it a call for daily cooperation with grace, warning that neglect could lead to losing the gift. In the Anglican tradition, the laying on of hands in ordination echoes this passage, and the verse is often read at the beginning of a bishop's charge to a new priest. Across Protestant, Catholic, and Orthodox traditions, the image of the embers being fanned into flame remains a universally resonant picture of the Christian life: God gives the fire, but we must tend it. The verse has also been quoted in revival movements to call believers from lethargy to active faith.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The Gift: God gives a charisma for service, a real, supernatural enablement that comes through the Church's laying on of hands. It cannot be self-generated.
- The Command: 'Stir up', or rekindle, is an active verb. The fire is not dead; it needs blowing into life. This takes prayer, study, practice, and reliance on the Holy Spirit.
- The Cause: Paul's reminder is rooted in Timothy's family history of faith (v.5). Our past faithfulness creates a foundation for future boldness, not a cushion for complacency.
Five-point outline
- Remember the Source: The gift is 'of God', it is grace from start to finish.
- Remember the Means: It came through the laying on of Paul's hands, linking personal calling to communal commission.
- Recognize the Risk: Gifts can smolder. Neglect or discouragement lets the fire fade.
- Respond with Action: Stirring involves intentional effort: 'blow on the coals.'
- Rest in the Spirit: 2 Timothy 1:7 frames the effort in God's power, love, and self-discipline, not mere human willpower.
Illustration hooks
- Campfire embers. After a night of warmth, the fire dies to glowing coals. One person adds kindling and blows gently; flames rise. The coals were not dead, but they needed tending. So with spiritual gifts.
- A musician's skill. A gifted pianist who stops practicing still has talent, but the music becomes hesitant and timid. Daily exercise restores fluency and joy. Timothy's gift, like any skill, required practice.
- An heirloom tool. A carpenter inherits his grandfather's chisel, fine steel but dull from disuse. He sharpens it, oils the handle, and it becomes a working tool again. The gift is still there; honing is needed.
Questions your congregation is asking
- What if I never 'felt' the gift? Does the verse apply to me, or only to ministers?
- Is it my fault if my spiritual passion has gone cold? Am I being lazy, or is this normal hardship?
- How do I stir my gift without becoming self-reliant or proud?
Leading a Discussion
This verse sits at the hinge of grace and effort. Paul does not say, 'God gave it; sit back.' He says, 'Kindle the flame.' The group's task is to explore what that looks like in daily life without falling into legalism or passivity.
Discussion questions
- Read 2 Timothy 1:5-7 aloud. Why does Paul mention Timothy's mother and grandmother before giving this command?
- The Greek verb anazōpureō means 'to rekindle a fire from embers.' What does this image tell you about the nature of spiritual gifts?
- What might have caused Timothy's gift to need rekindling? (Consider Paul's imprisonment, Ephesian pressures, Timothy's temperament.)
- How does the phrase 'through the laying on of my hands' connect Timothy's private effort to the Church's public commission?
- If the gift is from God, why does human cooperation matter? Where is the line between 'stirring' and 'earning' grace?
- Think of a gift God has given you (teaching, encouragement, hospitality, etc.). In what concrete ways could you 'stir it up' this week?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Exodus 35:26 | All the women whose heart stirred them up in wisdom spun the goats’ hair. |
| Exodus 36:2 | Moses called Bezalel and Oholiab, and every wise-hearted man, in whose heart Yahweh had put wisdom, even everyone whose heart stirred him up to come to the work to do it. |
| Isaiah 43:26 | Put me in remembrance. Let us plead together. Declare your case, that you may be justified. |
| Matthew 25:15 | To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his own ability. Then he went on his journey. |
| Matthew 25:30 | Throw out the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ |
| Luke 19:13 | He called ten servants of his and gave them ten mina coins, and told them, ‘Conduct business until I come.’ |
| Acts 8:17 | Then they laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. |
| Acts 8:18 | Now when Simon saw that the Holy Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money, |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
10 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke stresses that the gift Timothy received was the Holy Spirit, pictured as a fire needing constant stirring and fresh fuel. Without daily cooperation with God, the gift would go out, making grace received in vain. The Greek term he highlights means actively adding fuel to keep the flame alive.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes emphasizes the image of kindling a fire: Timothy must actively stir the gift God gave him, since piety does not grow on its own. He also clarifies that Paul’s mention of his own hands does not mean he ordained Timothy alone, but that the gift of power, love, and sound mind was recognized, not mysteriously imparted, through ordination.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentator emphasizes that Paul's appeal rests on a double ground: Timothy's personal faith, forged by natural piety, and his ministerial gift, transmitted as a spiritual heritage through Paul's own hands. The phrase "stir up" means kindling glowing embers into flame, not merely rekindling. The focus on "my hands" highlights Paul's personal closeness to Timothy.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note emphasizes that the spiritual gift Timothy received came through Paul's laying on of hands, and that Timothy must actively stir it up. The gift is not automatic; it requires ongoing effort to keep it active and effective.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill draws on the picture of coals nearly smothered by ashes: Timothy’s ministry gift from God had grown sluggish and neglected, not lost, but needing to be fanned back into flame. The apostle urges him to rekindle it through reading, prayer, meditation, and regular use, especially since Paul himself had a hand in imparting that gift.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB draws a careful distinction in Timothy's ordination: Paul's laying on of hands was the direct instrument ("by"), while the presbytery joined as participants ("with"), not co-equal agents. The command to "stir up" the gift means rekindling a spark already present, not creating something new—Timothy's faith was real but needed active exercise.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange compares the spiritual gift to coals under ash that must be fanned back into flame, highlighting Timothy's gentle nature as prone to timidity rather than lacking faith. The exhortation is not a censure but a fatherly encouragement from Paul, who knew the fire was already in Timothy.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Matthew Henry stresses that even the most faithful Christians need reminders to stir up their spiritual gifts, comparing it to reviving a fire hidden under embers. He insists that the gift God gives must be actively exercised, not just possessed, because using it is what increases it.
Vincent's Word Studies Evangelical 1887
Vincent notes that Paul uses a rare Greek word for "stir up" that pictures rekindling hot embers or a spark, rather than his usual expression. He also observes that Paul writes "for which cause" instead of his more common "therefore" or "for this reason." The word does not require assuming Timothy's zeal had grown cold.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley explains that "stirring up" literally means blowing on coals to rekindle a flame. The "gift of God" refers to all the spiritual graces God has given, which need to be actively fanned into a flame through remembrance.