2 Timothy 1:7 in Context
2 Timothy 1:7 read in its full chapter context. See the verses before and after, plus historical setting and flow of thought.
"For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind."
— 2 Timothy 1:7 (KJV)
Where This Verse Sits
2 Timothy 1:7 appears in 2 Timothy chapter 1, verse 7. Paul wrote this final letter around AD 66-67 from a cold Roman dungeon, likely the Mamertine Prison, shortly before his execution under Nero. Timothy was Paul's young protégé pastoring the difficult church in Ephesus. Some scholars believe Timothy was naturally timid, and the hostile cultural environment of Ephesus—home to the temple of Artemis—added to the pressure.
The Verse Itself
"For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind."
— 2 Timothy 1:7 (KJV)
Flow of the Passage
To grasp 2 Timothy 1:7 fully, read it inside the surrounding paragraph. The verses before set up the argument, and the verses after show its outworking. 2 Timothy 1 as a whole carries forward the theme of fear, and this single verse is one beat in that larger movement.
Paul encourages Timothy, who may have been timid about his ministry. Fear doesn't come from God; instead, He gives us power to serve, love to connect, and a sound mind for wisdom.
Cross-References
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