1:6a

For this reason: The phrase For this reason refers to Timothy’s sincere faith in Christ (1:5a). One way to translate For this reason is to make the reason explicit by saying:

Since you genuinely believe

to fan into flame: Here Paul compared Timothy’s gift to a fire. The clause fan into flame is the translation of one Greek word. There are two ways to interpret this word:

(1) Paul was concerned that Timothy had not been using his gift to his fullest capacity. Therefore he challenged Timothy to “fan into flame” or “rekindle” his use of the gift. For example, the New Living Translation (2004 Revision) says:

This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you

See also Berean Standard Bible, New International Version (2011 Revision), Revised Standard Version, New American Standard Bible, NET Bible, Revised English Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, God’s Word, Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English.

(2) Paul was simply encouraging Timothy to continue to use his gift. He was not implying that Timothy had not been using his gift. For example, the New Century Version says:

This is why I remind you to keep using the gift God gave you

See also Good News Translation and Contemporary English Version.

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1).

This interpretation uses this Greek word in its literal sense, that is, “rekindle” or “light again.” This implies that Timothy’s gift was like a fire that had almost gone out or died and needed to be revived to a useful state. One can rekindle a fire by fanning it or by stirring up the coals.

the gift of God: This spiritual gift was a special ability that God gave Timothy. It enabled him to serve God and minister to other believers in Ephesus. Several verses in 2 Timothy imply that the gift that God had given to Timothy was the ability to serve as a leader (see 4:2 and 4:5).

General Comment on 1:6a

When the word gift is used with the word “rekindle,” the two become a vivid figure of speech. By using this figure of speech, Paul meant that Timothy should reactivate his spiritual gift. This was the gift that the Holy Spirit had given him and that he was to use for God’s service.

You have several options for translating the figure of speech fan into flame the gift of God.

• Maintain the figure of speech, if possible.

• Use a figure of speech that occurs in your language and means something like “to start doing something energetically again.”

• Replace the figure of speech with the direct meaning and translate it “restore/reactivate/revive the gift of God.”

1:6b

which is in you through the laying on of my hands: Some time previously, Paul had put his hands on Timothy (probably on his head). Then he prayed that God would give him a special ability to minister to the believers in the Ephesian church. Paul implied that Timothy received that gift/ability at that time. (Perhaps Paul refers here to the time he mentioned in 1 Timothy 4:14 when the elders prayed for Timothy, but in this verse he mentions only that he laid his hands on Timothy.)

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All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible. BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.