Limitless Word
For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline.
2 Timothy 1:7 · New American Standard Bible
Parallel translations
  • WEB For God didn’t give us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control.
  • KJV For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
  • BSB For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control.
  • NKJV For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
  • NLT For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Quick answer

God has not given a spirit of fear but of power, love, and self-control. Believers are equipped by the Spirit to serve boldly rather than shrink back.

Overview

Likely sensing Timothy's timidity, Paul reminds him of the Spirit God has given. 'Power' for ministry, 'love' for people, and 'self-control' (or sound mind) together counter fear and embolden faithful service. This beloved verse anchors Christian courage not in personality but in the Holy Spirit's enabling work.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 27

  • Rom 8:15For you didn’t receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”
  • 1 Jn 4:18There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear has punishment. He who fears is not made perfect in love.
  • John 14:27Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you; not as the world gives, give I to you. Don’t let your heart be troubled, neither let it be fearful.
  • Gal 5:22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith,
  • Luke 10:19Behold, I give you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy. Nothing will in any way hurt you.
  • Acts 1:8But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you. You will be witnesses to me in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the uttermost parts of the earth.”
  • Zech 4:6Then he answered and spoke to me, saying, “This is Yahweh’s word to Zerubbabel, saying, ‘Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says Yahweh of Armies.
  • Prov 2:7He lays up sound wisdom for the upright. He is a shield to those who walk in integrity;
  • Prov 8:14Counsel and sound knowledge are mine. I have understanding and power.
  • Rom 5:5and hope doesn’t disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
  • Heb 2:15and might deliver all of them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
  • Acts 20:24But these things don’t count; nor do I hold my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to fully testify to the Good News of the grace of God.
  • 1 Cor 2:4My speech and my preaching were not in persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power,
  • Mic 3:8But as for me, I am full of power by Yahweh’s Spirit, and of judgment, and of might, to declare to Jacob his disobedience, and to Israel his sin.
  • Luke 24:49Behold, I send out the promise of my Father on you. But wait in the city of Jerusalem until you are clothed with power from on high.”
  • Acts 10:38even Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed him with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.
  • Ps 119:80Let my heart be blameless toward your decrees, that I may not be disappointed. KAF
  • 1 Pet 1:22Seeing you have purified your souls in your obedience to the truth through the Spirit in sincere brotherly affection, love one another from the heart fervently:
  • Acts 21:13Then Paul answered, “What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.”
  • 2 Cor 5:13–14For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God. Or if we are of sober mind, it is for you.
  • Acts 6:8Stephen, full of faith and power, performed great wonders and signs among the people.
  • Acts 9:22But Saul increased more in strength, and confounded the Jews who lived at Damascus, proving that this is the Christ.
  • Col 1:8who also declared to us your love in the Spirit.
  • Luke 8:35People went out to see what had happened. They came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had gone out, sitting at Jesus’ feet, clothed and in his right mind; and they were afraid.
  • Acts 26:25But he said, “I am not crazy, most excellent Festus, but boldly declare words of truth and reasonableness.
  • Luke 15:17But when he came to himself he said, ‘How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough to spare, and I’m dying with hunger!
  • Acts 26:11Punishing them often in all the synagogues, I tried to make them blaspheme. Being exceedingly enraged against them, I persecuted them even to foreign cities.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (4)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — 2 Timothy videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on 2 Timothy 1:7YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on 2 TimothyMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

Christ at the center

Christ Jesus 'abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel' — the risen Lord whose word and kingdom endure to the end.

How 2 Timothy 1:7 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.

Original language

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.