The Greek verb zōogoneō (ζωογονέω) means to give life to, to preserve alive, to quicken. It combines zōos (living) and goneō (to beget, produce), conveying the act of keeping something or someone alive — whether preserving physical life or granting spiritual vitality. It appears twice in the NT with distinct shades of meaning.
In Luke 17:33 Jesus uses the paradox: whoever tries to preserve (zōogoneō) his life shall lose it, and whoever loses his life shall preserve it. Physical self-preservation pursued at the cost of faithfulness results in ultimate loss; surrender to God results in true life. The verb underscores that real life is not self-maintained — it is God-given.
In 1 Timothy 6:13 Paul charges Timothy before God, who gives life to all things (zōogonountos). God is the source of all animate existence. Every breath is His gift. The doxological force of this phrase grounds Paul's ethical charge: Timothy must guard his commission because the living God who animates all creation is watching.