Verse 11
You also helping together by prayer for us ,.... Though the apostle ascribes their deliverance solely to God, as the author and efficient cause of it; yet he takes notice of the prayers of the saints for them, as helping causes or means of their obtaining it. It was a very laudable practice in the churches, and worthy of imitation, to pray for the ministers of the Gospel, and especially when under affliction and persecution; see Acts 12:5 , and the prayers of those righteous ones were heard by God, and often effectual for the deliverance of them, as they were in the present case: for
by the means of many persons , who wrestled together in prayer with God,
the gift of deliverance from so great a death, which the apostle looked upon as a wonderful mercy, χαρισμα , "a free grace gift", was "bestowed upon" them, which was granted for this end,
that thanks may be given by many on our behalf ; which is but reasonable, and ought to be observed; for since many were concerned in asking for, and obtaining the mercy, they ought to join in thanksgiving for it: and the apostle's view in this is to stir them up to a joint acknowledgment of the deliverance with them, which better became them than to side with the false apostles in their charge against him.
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