⁴ But ^(A)we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”

¹⁴ All these ^(A)with one accord ^(B)were devoting themselves to prayer, together with ^(C)the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and ^(D)his brothers.^[a]

¹³ Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching. ^14 (A)Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you ^(B)by prophecy when the council of elders ^(C)laid their hands on you. ¹⁵ Practice these things, immerse yourself in them,^[a] so that ^(D)all may see your progress. ^16 (E)Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save ^(F)both yourself and ^(G)your hearers.

⁹ And it is my prayer that ^(A)your love may abound more and more, ^(B)with knowledge and all discernment, ¹⁰ so that you may approve what is excellent, ^(C)and so be pure and blameless ^(D)for the day of Christ, ¹¹ filled ^(E)with the fruit of righteousness that comes ^(F)through Jesus Christ, ^(G)to the glory and praise of God.

The Fellowship of the Believers

⁴² And ^(A)they devoted themselves to the apostles' ^(B)teaching and the ^(C)fellowship, to ^(D)the breaking of bread and the prayers.

² preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; ^(A)reprove, rebuke, and ^(B)exhort, with complete patience and teaching.

⁹ And so, ^(A)from the day we heard, ^(B)we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that ^(C)you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all ^(D)spiritual wisdom and understanding, ¹⁰ so as ^(E)to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, ^(F)fully pleasing to him: ^(G)bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; ^11 (H)being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for ^(I)all endurance and patience ^(J)with joy; ^12 (K)giving thanks^[a] to the Father, who has qualified you^[b] to share in ^(L)the inheritance of the saints in light. ¹³ He ^(M)has delivered us from ^(N)the domain of darkness and transferred us to ^(O)the kingdom of ^(P)his beloved Son,

Prayer for Spiritual Strength

¹⁴ For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, ¹⁵ from whom ^(A)every family^[a] in heaven and on earth is named, ¹⁶ that according to ^(B)the riches of his glory ^(C)he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit ^(D)in your inner being, ^17 (E)so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being ^(F)rooted and ^(G)grounded in love, ¹⁸ may have strength to ^(H)comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and ^(I)height and depth, ¹⁹ and to know the love of Christ ^(J)that surpasses knowledge, that ^(K)you may be filled with all ^(L)the fullness of God.

^20 (M)Now to ^(N)him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, ^(O)according to the power at work within us, ^21 (P)to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

^9 (A)For God is my witness, ^(B)whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, ^(C)that without ceasing I mention you