Acts 6 verse 4

Acts 6:4

But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.   (KJV)

But we shall continue steadfast to prayer and to the service of the word.   (IB)

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Retranslation: But we will be wooers of God, fixing our attention continually upon the infinite One, being busily engaged with this One, adhering closely, as a servant, in patient waiting, listening and learning, and, should grace be given, we will become Christians, Christ-like rays of consciousness, obedient servants of Mind, able to share the light of spiritual reasoning*.  

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*NOTE:  For this passage (Acts 6:4) I am translating “word” as “spiritual reasoning.” 

“For right reasoning there should be but one fact before the thought, namely, spiritual existence. In reality there is no other existence, since Life cannot be united to its unlikeness, mortality.” (emphasis added) SH p. 492:3.

NOTE: In Retrospection and Introspection by Mary Baker Eddy, p. 28-29:

"This is my endeavor, to be a Christian, to assimilate the character and practice of the anointed; . . ."

continue steadfast 4342 proskartero, from 4314 and 2594; to be earnest towards, i.e. (to a thing) to persevere, be constantly diligent, or (in a place) to attend assiduously all the exercises, or (to a person) to adhere closely to (as a servitor):-----(give self) continually (upon), continue (in, instant in, with), wait on (continually), attend.

2594 kartero, from a derivative of 2904 (transposed); to be strong, i.e. (figuratively) steadfast (patient):------endure.

2904 kratos, perhaps a primary word; vigor [“great”] (lit. or fig.):-----dominion, might, power, strength, mightily.

attend (1828 Dict. defl.): [L. attendere (at for ad, to + tendere, to stretch) to stretch (esp. the mind) towards, to pay attention to.]

1. To listen to; to regard with attention to.
2. To regard with observation and correspondent practice.
3. To fix the attention upon as an object of pursuit; to be busy or engaged in; as, to attend to the study of the scriptures.
4. To wait on; to accompany or be present, in pursuance of duty;
5. To wait on in service or worship; to serve

prayer 4335 proseuche, from 4336; prayer (worship); by implication oratory (chapel):----prayer, pray earnestly. 

4336 proseuchomai, from 4314 and 2172; to pray to God, i.e. supplicate, worship:----pray (earnestly, for), make prayer.

2172 euchomai, middle of a primary verb: to wish; by implication to pray to God:----pray, wish, will.

pray (Origins Dict.): L. percari, a request, hence esp. a prayer; probably akin to L. procus, a wooer, and poscere, to aski or demand, and to Sanskrit prechati, he asks prasnas, a question. OE fricgan, to inquire, Gothic fraihan, to ask.

L, percari, has a derivative adjective precarius, obtainable only by prayer, not assured.

NOTE: When the pupils ask the Teacher, “Teach us to pray,” the Teacher gave them the “Lord’s Prayer”: acknowledging God as Father-Mother (Parent-Creator) . . . asking for inspiration: “give us this day, our daily bread”; . . .asking for leadership: . . .  “ and (You) lead us. . .”

service 1248 diakonia, from 1249; attendance (as a servant, etc.); figuratively (eleemosynary) aid, (official) service (especially of the Christian teacher, or technically of the diaconate):-----minister, ministration, ministering, ministry, administration, office, service, servicing, relief.

word 3056 logos, from 3004; something said (including the thought); by implication a topic (subject of discourse); also reasoning (the mental faculty) or motive; by extension computation; specifically (with the art. in John) the Divine Expression (i.e. Christ):------account, cause, communication, concerning, doctrine, fame, have to do, intent, matter, mouth, preaching, question, reason, reckon, remove, say, saying, shew, speaker, speech, talk, thing, none of these things move me, tidings, treatise, utterance, word, work.

3004 lego, a primary verb; properly to “lay” forth, i.e. (figuratively) relate (in words [usually of systematic or set discourse]; whereas 2306 and 5346 generally refer to an individual expression of speech respectively; while 4483 is properly to break silence merely; and 2980 means an extended or random harangue]); by implication to mean:----describe, name, shew, boast, call, give out, tell, utter, speak, say (on), bid.

reasoning (1828 Dict. Def.): Deducing inferences from premises.

inference (ibid.) [L. infero, in, intensive + fero, to bear or produce]

1. A truth or proposition drawn from another [Truth] which is admitted or supposed to be true; a conclusion. Inferences result from reasoning, as when the mind perceives such a connection between ideas, such that, if certain propositions called premises are true, the conclusions or propositions deduced from them must also be true.

premises (ibid.) [L. permitto, to send before]

1. In logic, the first two propositions of a syllogism, from which the inference or conclusion is drawn; as,

“All sinners deserve punishment;

                        B is a sinner."

These propositions, which are the premises, being true or admitted, the conclusion follows that:  
                     "B deserves punishment."

NOTE:  Man follows God as conclusions logically “follow” premises?

deduce (ibid.) [L. deduco, de, to + duco, to lead, bring, or draw]

1. To draw from.
2. In reasoning, to draw from; to gather a proposition [called a “conclusion”] from premises [known or admitted truths]; to infer something from what precedes.

“Reasoning is nothing but the faculty of deducing unknown truths from principles already known.” Locke.

principle (1828 Dict. def.): A truth admitted either without proof, or considered as having been proved.

logic (ibid.) The art of thinking and reasoning justly. Correct reasoning implies correct thinking and legitimate inferences from premises, which are principles assumed or admitted to be just. Logic then includes the art of thinking, as well as the art of reasoning. (Emphasis added.)

NOTE: Eddy make constant appeals to logic. Here’s one (SH p. 130:9):

“It is unwise to doubt . . . if Science . . . will destroy all discord, ----since you admit that God is omnipotent; for from this premise it follows that good . . . [has] all power.”

Here’s her syllogism:

God is the only power;

God is good; therefore (“it follows that:”)

Good has all power (another inference or conclusion would be “discord has no power.”)

syllogism (1828 Dict. def.): A form of reasoning or argument consisting of three propositions, of which the first two are called the premises, and the last the conclusion.  If the first two propositions are true, the conclusion must be true, and the argument amounts to a demonstration.

NOTE:  This definition made me wonder if Eddy’s use of “demonstration” implies a correctly deduced conclusion.  Do these correctly deduced conclusions adjust us and makes us fit for the kingdom of heaven? Correctly deducing a conclusion may, in Bible language, mean “handling the word of God” (see 1 John 1:1) where the individual is being gradually disabused of the lies that are handling it, and, from the premises that “God is all; and God is good,” the right conclusions are reached, Truth is known, the kingdom of heaven revealed.