4:2 Be devoted to prayer, keeping alert in it with thanksgiving.
4:7 Tychicus, a dear brother, faithful minister, and fellow slave 6 in the Lord, will tell you all the news about me. 7
1 tc The vast majority of witnesses (א A C L W Θ Ψ Ë1,13 Ï lat sy co) have καὶ προσεύχεσθε after ἀγρυπνεῖτε (agrupneite kai proseucesqe, “stay alert and pray”). This may be a motivated reading, influenced by the similar command in Mark 14:38 where προσεύχεσθε is solidly attested, and more generally from the parallel in Luke 21:36 (though δέομαι [deomai, “ask”] is used there). As B. M. Metzger notes, it is a predictable variant that scribes would have been likely to produce independently of each other (TCGNT 95). The words are not found in B D 2427 a c {d} k. Although the external evidence for the shorter reading is slender, it probably better accounts for the longer reading than vice versa.
2 sn The call to be alert at all times is a call to remain faithful in looking for the Lord’s return.
3 tn For the translation of μέλλω (mellw) as “must,” see L&N 71.36.
4 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of Jesus finding them asleep.
5 sn Jesus calls the disciples again to prayerful watchfulness with the words “Get up and pray” (see 22:40). The time is full of danger (22:53).
6 tn See the note on “fellow slave” in 1:7.
7 tn Grk “all things according to me.”