Continue in prayer As a means to enable you to perform the fore-mentioned duties. This direction being given here, and Ephesians 6:18, (where see the note,) immediately after the apostle's exhortation to relative duties, teaches us that they who live in one family should often join in social prayer for God's assistance to enable them to perform their duties to each other. And watch in the same Against negligence and indolence. See on Ephesians 6:18; 1 Peter 4:7; with thanksgiving For those mercies which you have already received, in answer to former petitions, or in which God hath prevented you with the blessings of his goodness. Praying also for us Observe, reader, Christians in the highest state of grace need the prayers of others. “This passage affords instruction both to ministers and to their people: to ministers, not to despise an assistance which even an inspired apostle thought useful to him: and to the people, to be careful to assist their ministers with a help which in the end will greatly redound to their own benefit.” That God would open unto us a door of utterance That is, give us utterance, that we may open our mouth boldly, (Ephesians 6:19,)
and give us an opportunity of speaking, so that none may be able to hinder. For which I am also in bonds Then most grievous to me when they prove an obstruction to that great business of my life, the propagation of the gospel, in which the glory of God and the happiness of men are so highly concerned.