2 Timothy 1:6

My Notes

What Does 2 Timothy 1:6 Mean?

Paul tells Timothy to stir up the gift of God that's in him — the gift that came through Paul's laying on of hands. The gift exists. It's already present. But it needs stirring. The fire hasn't gone out. But the flame has gotten low. And Paul says: fan it. Rekindle it. Stir it back to full intensity.

The word "stir up" (anazōpyreō — to fan into flame, to rekindle, to cause to burn brightly again) assumes the fire exists but has diminished. You don't stir up what doesn't exist. You stir up what's been banked — coals that are still hot but not producing flame. The gift that was given through the laying on of hands is still in Timothy. It's just not blazing.

"The gift of God, which is in thee" — the gift (charisma — grace-gift) is located inside Timothy. Not around him. In him. The stirring is internal: Timothy reaching down to the gift that's been placed inside and fanning it back to full flame. The responsibility for the stirring is his. The gift is God's. The maintaining is Timothy's.

Reflection Questions

• 1.What gift in you has gone 'low' — not out, but diminished — and needs deliberate stirring?
• 2.Does the coals-to-flame image (the heat is there, the blaze needs effort) describe your current spiritual energy?
• 3.Who 'laid hands' on you (transmitted the gift) — and are you maintaining what they deposited?
• 4.What does 'stirring up the gift' look like practically — what effort fans your specific flame?

Devotional

Stir it up. The gift that's in you. Fan the flame. It hasn't gone out. But it's gotten low.

Paul writes to his spiritual son with a specific instruction: anazōpyreō — fan into flame again. The gift of God that was deposited in Timothy through Paul's hands — the charisma, the grace-gift, the divine endowment — is still there. But it's not burning the way it used to. The flame is low. The coals are still hot. The gift hasn't expired. But the blaze has diminished.

"Stir up" — the word literally means to fan back to life. Like blowing on coals that have gone gray. The heat is underneath. The flame is potential. And the effort to stir — the intentional, deliberate, personal effort of the gift-bearer — is what converts the coals back to fire.

"The gift of God, which is in thee" — the gift's location is inside. Not the church. Not the Bible. Not the community (though all of those feed it). IN thee. Inside. The charisma that God deposited when Paul laid hands on Timothy is an internal flame. And the internal flame needs internal stirring. No one else can do it for you. The gift is yours to maintain.

"By the putting on of my hands" — the gift arrived through a physical act: Paul's hands on Timothy's head. The touch transmitted the endowment. But the maintenance of the endowment isn't through repeated touch. It's through personal stirring. Paul laid the hands once. Timothy stirs the gift continuously.

The gift is there. In you. Placed by God. Transmitted through human hands. Still alive — the coals are hot. But the flame is low. And the low flame is YOUR responsibility. Not God's (He gave the gift). Not the community's (they support you). Yours. Fan it. Stir it. Blow on the coals.

The gift doesn't go out. But it does go low. And the difference between a low flame and a blazing one is the stirring you choose to do today.

Commentary

Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.

Cross References

Related passages throughout Scripture