Acts 6:4

“But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, etc.] Both in private for themselves, and the church; and in the houses and families of the saints, with the sick and distressed;. and in public, in the temple, or in whatsoever place they met for public worship: and to the ministry of the word; the preaching of the Gospel, to which prayer is absolutely prerequisite, and with which it is always to be joined. These two, prayer and preaching, are the principal employment of a Gospel minister, and are what he ought to be concerned in, not only now and then, but what he should give himself up unto wholly, that his profiting might appear; and what he should be continually exercised and employed…”

“we will give ourselves to prayer--public prayer, as along with preaching their great work.”

“But we will give ourselves continually - The original expression used here denotes “intense and persevering” application to a thing, or unwearied effort in it. See the notes on Acts 1:14. It means that the apostles designed to make this their constant and main object, undistracted by the cares of life, and even by attention to the temporal needs of the church. To prayer - Whether this means “private” or “public” prayer cannot be certainly determined. The passage, however, would rather incline us to suppose that the “latter” was meant, as it is immediately connected with preaching. If so, then the phrase denotes that they would give themselves to the duties of their office, one part of which…”

“We will constantly attend to prayer, and to the ministry of the word - This is doubtless the proper business of a Christian bishop: to speak to God in prayer; to men in preaching his word, as an ambassador for Christ. Acts 6:5”

“give: Act 2:42, Act 20:19-31; Rom 12:6-8; Co1 9:16; Col 4:17; Ti1 4:13-16; Ti2 4:2 prayer: Act 1:14, Act 13:2, Act 13:3; Rom 1:9; Eph 1:15-17, Eph 3:14-21; Phi 1:4, Phi 1:9-11; Col 1:9-13; Col 2:1, Col 4:12 Acts 6:5”