Ephesians 6:18

διὰ πάσης προσευχῆς καὶ δεήσεως. These words are best taken with δέξασθε as describing the special condition under which we can receive these last two elements in our equipment. For διὰ ‘in a state of,’ ‘to the accompaniment of,’ cf. Romans 2:27; Romans 4:11; 2 Corinthians 2:4; 2 Corinthians 9:12 etc. No doubt the prayers themselves are ῥήματα θεοῦ inspired by God as the next clause will show (so Robinson and Hort). But they can hardly cover the whole ground of our need, Luke 21:15. See Ephesians 6:19.

προσευχόμενοι ἐν παντὶ καιρῷ ἐν πνεύματι. The call to constant persevering prayer recurs in 1 Thessalonians 5:17; Romans 12:12; Philippians 4:6 besides the parallel in Colossians 4:2. It recalls Luke 18:1, and in connexion with the injunction to watchfulness Luke 22:40 and the parallels. See esp. Luke 21:36.

ἐν πνεύματι. See on Ephesians 2:22; cf. Ephesians 2:18. ‘In the power of the Spirit.’ True prayer is an inspiration; cf. John 4:24; Jude 1:20.

καὶ εἰς αὐτὸ�. Mark 13:33; Luke 21:36; cf. 1 Peter 4:7.

προσκαρτερήσει. Cf. Acts 1:14; Acts 2:46. The substantive has now been found in two Jewish Manumissions from C. A.D. 81. See Deissm. Light from Ancient East, p. 100.

περὶ πάντων τῶν ἁγίων. Cf. on Ephesians 3:18. Even the solitary warrior must realize in prayer the common concerns of the whole army of which he is a unit. περὶ and ὑπὲρ are practically indistinguishable.