For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
What does 2 Timothy 1:7 mean?
God has not given us the spirit of fear, but the spirit of power, of courage and resolution, to meet difficulties and dangers; the spirit of love to him, which will carry us through opposition.
Key themes
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Keep this verse inside 2 Timothy 1:3-7 and alongside a few nearby related passages.
Commentary on 2 Timothy 1:7
For God hath not given us the spirit of fear - A timorous and servile spirit. This is said in order to encourage Timothy, who was not improbably modest and diffident. But of power - Power to encounter foes and dangers; power to bear up under trials; power to triumph in persecutions. That is, it is the nature of the gospel to inspire the mind with holy courage; compare, however, Luke 24:49 . And of love - Love to God and to the souls of men. The tendency of This, also, is to "cast out fear" 1 John 4:18 , and to make the mind bold and constant.
Key words
- power from high
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power from high. For God hath not given us the spirit of fear,....
- power from high
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power from high.
Context in 2 Timothy 1
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2 Timothy 1 belongs to the opening movement of the book, especially the section often described as rekindling courage. Second Timothy is a final appeal to courage, endurance, sound teaching, and fidelity to Scripture under suffering. Read this chapter with the wider themes of endurance, scripture, and courage in view so the individual verses keep their proper weight.
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