“But we will continue steadfastly in prayer, and in the ministry of the word.”
The administrative problems being sorted out, they hoped satisfactorily, the Apostles themselves would then concentrate on prayer and the ministry of the word. The new appointees would be administrative ‘ministers' (deacons) and the Apostles would be ‘deacons' of the word. We should not see here, except possibly in embryo form, a deliberate distinction between ‘deacons' and non-deacons. It was simply a practical division of responsibilities, with all ‘serving' (deaconing) together, while recognising the special responsibility of the Apostles.