Verse Lens · Expanded explanation
2 Timothy 1:8 Explained in Context
Use this verse as a doorway into the larger passage—not as an isolated saying.
Verse 8. 8Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God;
King James Version — public domain in the United States · Bible text and permissions
Quick Meaning
This verse draws the consequence: refuse shame and share gospel hardship by God's power.
Read It With
- 2 Timothy 1:8–14
Read 2 Timothy 1:8 with 1:8–14. This verse draws the consequence: refuse shame and share gospel hardship by God's power. The complete unit establishes this movement: Timothy is called not to be ashamed but to share gospel suffering by God's power, hold the pattern of sound words in faith and love, and guard the good deposit through the Holy Spirit.
Why This Verse Appears Here
The unit makes courage concrete as public allegiance, costly solidarity, careful transmission, and Spirit-enabled guardianship. Within that movement, this verse draws the consequence: refuse shame and share gospel hardship by God's power.
Follow the Context
- Timothy must not be ashamed of the testimony or the imprisoned writer.
- He is invited to share suffering according to God's power.
- Saving calling rests on grace, now manifested in Christ's abolition of death and disclosure of life.
- The writer's commission and suffering model confident trust.
- Timothy must hold a sound pattern in faith and love.
- He must guard the good deposit through the indwelling Holy Spirit.
Phrase-by-Phrase Explanation
“partaker of the afflictions”
In plain language: Share unavoidable gospel hardship in solidarity.
draws the consequence: refuse shame and share gospel hardship by God's power. Grace-formed courage can sustain costly witness.
Why it matters: The wording carries interpretive or ethical risk that requires the full unit and its stated limits.
How certain? strongWhat This Verse Is Not Saying
Sharing suffering does not require seeking harm, staying in abuse, or concealing crime.
What Remains True
Grace-formed courage can sustain costly witness.
How It Can Shape Life
- Support people bearing verified costs while using every legitimate safety measure.
Teach It Back
Explain 2 Timothy 1:8's contribution to 2 Timothy 1:8–14: draws the consequence: refuse shame and share gospel hardship by God's power. Include what the surrounding verses add, the stated uncertainty, and what this verse does not authorize.
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Continue in Context
The full thought-unit study remains the final contextual authority for this Verse Lens.
Read 2 Timothy 1:8–14 — Share Suffering and Guard the Entrusted GoodSources used for this Verse Lens
How certain is this explanation? strong
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 1:8–14, 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, 1:8–14
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, 1:8–14 translation and attached translator, study, and textual notes
Open the official NET 2 Timothy PDF ↗