1 Timothy 2:1, commentary and pictures

First of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks are to be made for all people, with every kind of prayer offered with thanksgiving. Such praying is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour, because He will have all men to be saved and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. It is one of every resource His servants are to use for enlarging His kingdom in an ever-widening work. In that work every believer is to unite with his brethren to carry the gospel invitation to all, laboring wholeheartedly and whole-souled to win sinners, so that thirsty souls are led to the water of life.

All men includes unreasonable and wicked men and those in religious error about the Sabbath. Praying for them belongs to a work that convinces rather than condemns. Falsehood is to be met with Christlike simplicity, patience, forbearance and love, uplifting Christ and the law of God before opposers and revealing love for souls for whom Christ died. The weapons are spiritual, not retaliation, prejudice, or satanic methods.

All men includes men in high places and positions of responsibility, who need the prayers of the whole church because they are entrusted with prosperity and influence. They need God's guidance and strength, for without dependence on Him their judgment can become distorted and they can fall. All men includes sovereigns, rulers, and magistrates, for whom prayer is to ask God to bless them with a prosperous rule, happiness, and preservation, and to enlighten the mind and pardon sin. Christians continued this prayer for their sovereign and magistrates even when worshiping at home and refusing to attend mass brought persecution upon them.

It is the duty of every believer to pray most earnestly for all leaders, and especially for those called to fill important positions of trust in the church. This means those who do committee work and give counsel about plans for advancing the truth, and those placed in office by vote. Prayer for them is to ask God to greatly bless them, to grant them wisdom from heaven to work wisely and well and to plan without grave blunders, to give unity of action in choosing the best methods, and to secure hearty cooperation of church members in upbuilding the cause, while each believer also prays to know what he can individually do to advance the message and share with Jesus in laboring for perishing souls. The verse is lived out in promising to pray for and support those engaged in the school's work, with concern extending to the many people who may benefit and to the salvation of hundreds of souls.