2 Timothy 1 · Verse 5

2 Timothy 1:5

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.

2 Timothy 1:5, King James Version

2 Timothy 1:5 in other translations

BSB	I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first dwelt in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am convinced is in you as well.
WEB	having been reminded of the sincere faith that is in you, which lived first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, in you also.
ASV	having been reminded of the unfeigned faith that is in thee; which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and, I am persuaded, in thee also.
YLT	taking remembrance of the unfeigned faith that is in thee, that dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice, and I am persuaded that also in thee.
DARBY	calling to mind the unfeigned faith which has been in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and in thy mother Eunice, and I am persuaded that in thee also.
BBE	Having in mind your true faith, which first was in your mother's mother Lois, and in your mother Eunice, and, I am certain, is now in you.
Webster	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.

What does 2 Timothy 1:5 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

5. When I call to remembrance--This increased his "desire to see" Timothy. The oldest manuscripts read, "When I called to remembrance"; implying that some recent incident (perhaps the contrasted cowardice of the hypocrite Demas, who forsook him) had reminded him of the sincerity of Timothy's faith. faith that is in thee--Alford translates, "that was in thee." He remembers Timothy's faith in the past as a fact; its present existence in him is only matter of his confident persuasion or hope. which--Greek, "such as." dwelt--"made its dwelling" or abode (Joh 14:23). The past tense implies they were now dead. first--before it dwelt in thee. She was the furthest back of the progenitors of Timothy whom Paul knew. mother Eunice--a believing Jewess; but his father was a Greek, that is, a heathen (Ac 16:1). The faith of the one parent sanctified the child (2Ti 3:15; 1Co 7:14). She was probably converted at Paul's first visit to Lystra (Ac 14:6). It is an undesigned coincidence, and so a mark of truth, that in Ac 16:1 the belief of the mother alone is mentioned, just as here praise is bestowed on the faith of the mother, while no notice is taken of the father [Paley, Horæ Paulinæ]. and--Greek, "but," that is, notwithstanding appearances [Alford]. persuaded that--it dwells, or it shall dwell "in thee also." The mention of the faith of his mother and grandmother is designed as an incentive to stir up his faith.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes

Verse 5. When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee. 1Timm 1:5. On the faith of Timothy, 1Timm 4:6.

Which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois. That is, the same faith dwelt in her; or, she was a sincere believer in Christ. It would seem probable from this, that she was the first of the family who had been converted. In the Acts of the Apostles Acts 16:1,we have an account of the family of Timothy:--"Then came he to Derbe and Lystra; and behold a certain disciple was there, named Timotheus, the son of a certain woman which was a Jewess, and believed; but his father was a Greek." In this account no mention is made of the grandmother Lois, but there is no improbability in supposing that Paul was better acquainted with the family than Luke. There is, at any rate, no contradiction between the two accounts; but the one confirms the other, and the "undesigned coincidence" furnishes an argument for the authenticity of both. See Paley's Horae Paulinae, in loc. As the mother of Timothy was a Hebrew, it is clear that his grandmother was also. Nothing more is known of her than is here mentioned.

And in thy mother Eunice. In Acts 16:1, it is said that the mother of Timothy was "a Jewess, and believed;" but her name is not mentioned. This shows that Paul was acquainted with the family, and that the statement in the epistle to Timothy was not forged from the account in the Acts. Here is another "undesigned coincidence." In the history in the Acts, nothing is said of the father, except that he was "a Greek," but it is implied that he was not a believer. In the epistle before us, nothing whatever is said of him. But the piety of his mother alone is commended, and it is fairly implied that his father was not a believer. This is one of those coincidences on which Paley has constructed his beautiful argument in the Horae Paulinae in favour of the genuineness of the New Testament.

(f) "unfeigned faith" 1Timm 4:6 (g) "mother" Acts 16:1

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 5 The unfeigned faith that is in thee - Timothy had given the fullest proof of the sincerity of his conversion, and of the purity of his faith. Which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois - In Act 16:1, we are informed that Paul came to Derbe and Lystra; and behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timotheus, the son of a certain woman, who was a Jewess, and believed; but his father was a Greek. Luke, the historian, it appears, was not particularly acquainted with the family; Paul evidently was. Luke mentions the same circumstance which the apostle mentions here; but in the apostle's account there are particulars which argue an intimate acquaintance with the family and its history. Luke says Timothy's father was a Greek, consequently we may believe him to have been then in his heathen state; Paul, in mentioning the grandmother, mother, and son, passes by the father in silence; which intimates that either the father remained in his unconverted state, or was now dead. Lois and Eunice are both Grecian, and indeed heathen names; hence we are led to conclude that, although Timothy's mother was a Jewess according to St. Luke, yet she was a Grecian or Hellenist by birth. Lois, the grandmother, appears to have been the first convert to Christianity: she instructed her daughter Eunice, and both brought up Timothy in the Christian faith; so that he had a general knowledge of it before he met with St. Paul at Lystra. There, it appears the apostle was the instrument of the conversion of his heart to God; for a man may be well instructed in Divine things, have a very orthodox creed, and yet his heart not be changed. Instruction precedes conversion; conversion should follow it. To be brought up in the fear of God is a great blessing; and a truly religious education is an advantage of infinite worth.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 2 Timothy 1:1-5

The promise of eternal life to believers in Christ Jesus, is the leading subject of ministers who are employed according to the will of God. The blessings here named, are the best we can ask for our beloved friends, that they may have peace with God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. Whatever good we do, God must have the glory. True believers have in every age the same religion as to substance. Their faith is…

Read the full comment on 2 Timothy 1:1-5 →

2 Timothy 1:5 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ὑπόμνησινhupomnēsinremembranceG5280

λαβὼνlabōnhaving takenG2983

τῆςtēsof theG3588

ἐνenwithinG1722

σοὶsoiyouG4771

ἀνυποκρίτουanupokritousincereG505

πίστεως,pisteōsfaith,G4102

ἥτιςhētiswhichG3748

ἐνῴκησενenōkēsendweltG1774

πρῶτονprōtonfirstG4413

ἐνeninG1722

τῇtēatheG3588

μάμμῃmammēgrandmotherG3125

σουsouof youG4771

ΛωΐδιLōidiLoisG3090

καὶkaiandG2532

τῇtēain theG3588

μητρίmētrimotherG3384

σουsouof youG4771

Εὐνίκῃ,EunikēEunice,G2131

πέπεισμαιpepeismaiI have been persuadedG3982

δὲdenowG1161

ὅτιhotithatG3754

καὶkaialsoG2532

ἐνen[it is] inG1722

σοί.¶soiyou.G4771

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 2 Timothy 1:5

1 Timothy 1:5
Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned:
Acts 16:1
Then came he to Derbe and Lystra: and, behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timotheus, the son of a certain woman, which was a Jewess, and believed; but his father was a Greek:
2 Timothy 3:15
And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
1 Timothy 4:6
If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained.
2 Corinthians 6:6
By pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned,
2 Timothy 1:12
For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.
Romans 15:14
And I myself also am persuaded of you, my brethren, that ye also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another.
Romans 8:38
For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
Psalms 86:16
O turn unto me, and have mercy upon me; give thy strength unto thy servant, and save the son of thine handmaid.
Romans 4:21
And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.
Psalms 116:16
O Lord, truly I am thy servant; I am thy servant, and the son of thine handmaid: thou hast loosed my bonds.
Hebrews 6:9
But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

I call.
Ps 77:6
unfeigned.
Ps 17:1; 18:44; 66:3; 81:15; *marg:
Jer 3:10; Joh 1:47; 2Co 6:6; 1Ti 1:5; 4:6; 1Pe 1:22
thy mother.
Ps 22:10; 86:16; 116:16; Ac 16:1
I am.
12; Ac 26:26; Ro 4:21; 8:38; 14:5,14; 15:14; Heb 6:9; 11:13

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

2 Timothy 1:4
Greatly desiring to see thee, being mindful of thy tears, that I may be filled with joy;
2 Timothy 1:5
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.
2 Timothy 1:6
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.

Read all of 2 Timothy 1

2 Timothy 1:5 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Trayendo á la memoria la fe no fingida que hay en ti, la cual residió primero en tu abuela Loida, y en tu madre Eunice; y estoy cierto que en ti también.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	me rappelant la foi sincère qui est en toi, et qui a d’abord habité dans ta grand-mère Loïs et dans ta mère Eunice, et, j’en suis persuadé, en toi aussi.
German Elberfelder 1871	indem ich mich erinnere des ungeheuchelten Glaubens in dir, der zuerst wohnte in deiner Großmutter Lois und deiner Mutter Eunike, ich bin aber überzeugt, auch in dir.
Latin Clementine Vulgate	recordationem accipiens ejus fidei, quæ est in te non ficta, quæ et habitavit primum in avia tua Loide, et matre tua Eunice, certus sum autem quod et in te.