Acts 6:4
New International Version
and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.”

New Living Translation
Then we apostles can spend our time in prayer and teaching the word.”

English Standard Version
But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”

Berean Standard Bible
and will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”

Berean Literal Bible
And we will steadfastly continue in prayer and the ministry of the word."

King James Bible
But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.

New King James Version
but we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”

New American Standard Bible
But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”

NASB 1995
“But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”

NASB 1977
“But we will devote ourselves to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.”

Legacy Standard Bible
But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the service of the word.”

Amplified Bible
But we will [continue to] devote ourselves [steadfastly] to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”

Christian Standard Bible
But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the preaching ministry.”

American Standard Version
But we will continue stedfastly in prayer, and in the ministry of the word.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
“And we shall continue in prayer, and in the Ministry of the word.”

Contemporary English Version
We can spend our time praying and serving God by preaching."

Douay-Rheims Bible
But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.

English Revised Version
But we will continue stedfastly in prayer, and in the ministry of the word.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
However, we will devote ourselves to praying and to serving in ways that are related to the word."

Good News Translation
We ourselves, then, will give our full time to prayer and the work of preaching."

International Standard Version
Then we'll devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word."

Literal Standard Version
and we to prayer, and to the ministry of the word, will give ourselves continually.”

Majority Standard Bible
and will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”

New American Bible
whereas we shall devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”

NET Bible
But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word."

New Revised Standard Version
while we, for our part, will devote ourselves to prayer and to serving the word.”

New Heart English Bible
But we will continue steadfastly in prayer and in the ministry of the word."

Webster's Bible Translation
But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.

Weymouth New Testament
But, as for us, we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the delivery of the Message."

World English Bible
But we will continue steadfastly in prayer and in the ministry of the word.”

Young's Literal Translation
and we to prayer, and to the ministration of the word, will give ourselves continually.'

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Choosing of the Seven
3Therefore, brothers, select from among you seven men confirmed to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will appoint this responsibility to them 4and will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” 5This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, as well as Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism.…

Cross References
Luke 1:23
And when the days of his service were complete, he returned home.

Acts 1:14
With one accord they all continued in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.


Treasury of Scripture

But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.

give.

Acts 2:42
And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.

Acts 20:19-31
Serving the Lord with all humility of mind, and with many tears, and temptations, which befell me by the lying in wait of the Jews: …

Romans 12:6-8
Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; …

prayer.

Acts 1:14
These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren.

Acts 13:2,3
As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them…

Romans 1:9
For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers;

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Attention Continually Continue Delivery Devote Message Ministration Ministry Ourselves Prayer Steadfastly Stedfastly Teaching Time Word
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Acts 6
1. The apostles, desirous to have the poor cared for,
2. as also careful themselves to dispense the word of God, the food of the soul,
3. recommend,
5. and with the church's consent ordain seven chosen men to the office of deaconship.
7. The word of God prevails,
8. Stephen, full of faith and the Holy Spirit, confuting those with whom he disputed,
12. is brought before the council,
13. and falsely accused of blasphemy against the law and the temple.














(4) We will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.--Literally, We will persevere in . . . These formed the true work of the Apostles, as afterwards of the bishops or elders of the Church. "Prayer" includes the public worship of the Church in all its various developments, as well as private prayer and intercession; the "ministry of the word," all forms of teaching.

It is to be noted that the men thus appointed are never called "deacons" in the New Testament. When they are referred to again it is as "the Seven" (Acts 21:8), as though they were a distinct and peculiar body. Their functions were, of course, in some degree, analogous to those of the "deacons" of the Pastoral Epistles and the later organisation of the Church; but these, as we have seen, had their prototypes in the "young men," as contrasted with "elders," in Acts 5:6; Acts 5:10; and the Seven were probably appointed, so to speak, as archdeacons, to superintend and guide them. In some churches, as at Rome, the number of deacons was fixed at seven, in conformity with this precedent (so also at the Council of Neo-Caesarea, Can. 14, A.D. 314), and they were considered, when the bishop came to be distinguished from the elders, as acting more immediately under the direction of the former, helping him in the details of his office.

Verse 4. - Continue steadfastly in for give ourselves continually to, A.V.; in (the ministry) for to, A.V. Steadfastly. The verb προσκαρτερέω is of frequent use in the Acts (see Acts 1:14; Acts 2:42; 5:46; 8:13; x. 7; see also Colossians 4:2). It is used of persons and things to which any one adheres closely and perseveringly, which are put in the dative case, as here. But sometimes it has the prepositions ἐν or εἰς after it, as in Acts 5:46; Hist. of Susann. 7; Romans 13:6. Ver. 5. - Holy Spirit for Holy Ghost, A.V. The mention of Stephen, and the narrative which follows leading up from Stephen's martyrdom to St. Paul (Acts 7:60), show to what the writer is tending. He selects the incidents in the history of the Church at Jerusalem which connect themselves most directly with that after history which was the object he had in view. It has been thought by some that the Greek character of all seven names is an indication that they were Hellenists. Such a conclusion, however, is not warranted, as many Jews who were not Hellenists had Greek or Latin names, e.g. Paul, Sylvanus, Aquila, Priscilla, Marcus, Justus, Petrus, Didymus, etc. At the same time, it is likely that some of them were. One, Nicolas, was a proselyte. The object, doubtless, was to ensure perfect fairness of distribution of the Church charities. Stephen and Philip (Acts 8:5, etc.; Acts 21:8) are the only two of whom we know anything beyond their names.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
and
δὲ (de)
Conjunction
Strong's 1161: A primary particle; but, and, etc.

devote ourselves
προσκαρτερήσομεν (proskarterēsomen)
Verb - Future Indicative Active - 1st Person Plural
Strong's 4342: To persist, persevere in, continue steadfast in; I wait upon.

to
τῇ (tē)
Article - Dative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

prayer
προσευχῇ (proseuchē)
Noun - Dative Feminine Singular
Strong's 4335: From proseuchomai; prayer; by implication, an oratory.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

the
τῇ (tē)
Article - Dative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

ministry
διακονίᾳ (diakonia)
Noun - Dative Feminine Singular
Strong's 1248: Waiting at table; in a wider sense: service, ministration. From diakonos; attendance; figuratively aid, service.

of the
τοῦ (tou)
Article - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

word.”
λόγου (logou)
Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 3056: From lego; something said; by implication, a topic, also reasoning or motive; by extension, a computation; specially, the Divine Expression.


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Acts 6:3
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