Verse Lens · Expanded explanation
2 Timothy 1:5 Explained in Context
Use this verse as a doorway into the larger passage—not as an isolated saying.
Verse 5. 5When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also.
King James Version — public domain in the United States · Bible text and permissions
Quick Meaning
This verse traces sincere faith through Lois and Eunice to Timothy while expressing confidence rather than inevitability.
Read It With
- 2 Timothy 1:3–7
Read 2 Timothy 1:5 with 1:3–7. This verse traces sincere faith through Lois and Eunice to Timothy while expressing confidence rather than inevitability. The complete unit establishes this movement: The writer remembers Timothy continually, recalls sincere faith associated with Lois and Eunice, and urges him to rekindle God's gift because the Spirit forms power, love, and sound judgment rather than cowardice.
Why This Verse Appears Here
Memory of relationship and inherited formation supplies encouragement before the letter asks Timothy to accept costly witness. Within that movement, this verse traces sincere faith through Lois and Eunice to Timothy while expressing confidence rather than inevitability.
Read 2 Timothy 1:5–7 together
Why these verses belong together: Remembered formation leads through active stewardship to power governed by love and sound judgment.
Verse 5. 5 When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also.
Verse 6. 6 Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands.
Verse 7. 7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
Follow the Context
- The writer thanks God and remembers Timothy in prayer.
- Remembered tears awaken longing and expected joy.
- Sincere faith is recalled first in Lois and Eunice and then in Timothy.
- Timothy is urged to rekindle the gift associated with laying on of hands.
- God's Spirit is characterized by power, love, and sound judgment rather than cowardice.
Phrase-by-Phrase Explanation
“Lois, and thy mother Eunice”
In plain language: Women are explicitly named as formative bearers of faith.
traces sincere faith through Lois and Eunice to Timothy while expressing confidence rather than inevitability. God often forms faith through remembered, intergenerational witness.
Why it matters: The wording carries interpretive or ethical risk that requires the full unit and its stated limits.
How certain? probableWhat This Verse Is Not Saying
Family faith does not guarantee descendants' faith or reduce women to background figures.
What Remains True
God often forms faith through remembered, intergenerational witness.
How It Can Shape Life
- Honor the women and family members who taught faithfully without assuming belief is inherited automatically.
Teach It Back
Explain 2 Timothy 1:5's contribution to 2 Timothy 1:3–7: traces sincere faith through Lois and Eunice to Timothy while expressing confidence rather than inevitability. Include what the surrounding verses add, the stated uncertainty, and what this verse does not authorize.
Your explanation stays in this browser. It is not sent or saved.
Continue in Context
The full thought-unit study remains the final contextual authority for this Verse Lens.
Read 2 Timothy 1:3–7 — Remembered Faith Leads to Rekindled GiftSources used for this Verse Lens
How certain is this explanation? probable
Where care is needed
The verse does not describe the complete family or conversion sequence.
These are the sources used directly for this lens. Language, grammar, disagreements, and the complete source shelf remain attached to the full thought-unit research record.
Biblical text
King James (Authorized) Version — eng-kjv2006
eBible.org and CrossWire Bible Society
USFM archive eng-kjv2006_usfm.zip; source files dated 2026-08-19; downloaded 2026-08-24; archive SHA-256 aec1b3b26c622fd3d963d2bbac963016b9513246ffbfa20da00bb100372ea007; normalized corpus SHA-256 09aef51d90488aa7b9722b3fd9a93f4b25f6bf2064c5fd798fb39673c300ddf2.
Supports: Exact reader-facing KJV wording, paragraph markers, supplied-word markup, and complete verse coverage.
Exact location: 2 Timothy 1:3–7, pinned eng-kjv2006 USFM corpus
Open source ↗Greek textual evidence
The Greek New Testament: SBL Edition
Michael W. Holmes, editor; Society of Biblical Literature and Logos
Society of Biblical Literature and Logos Bible Software, 2010
Supports: Greek wording, clause relationships, morphology targets, and base text for original-language discussion.
Exact location: Faithlife SBLGNT repository, data/sblgnt/text/2Tim.txt, 1:3–7
Open the 2 Timothy Greek text file ↗Translation and textual notes
NET Bible — 2 Timothy with translators' and textual notes
Biblical Studies Press
Biblical Studies Press, 2005–2026 online edition
Supports: Verse-level syntax, KJV-era wording, textual alternatives, and interpretive notes.
Exact location: NET Bible official 2 Timothy PDF, 1:3–7 translation and attached translator, study, and textual notes
Open the official NET 2 Timothy PDF ↗