133 THE VARIANT READINGS OF THE WESTERN TEXT OF THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES (XV) (ACTS 9:1-30) JOSEP RIUS-CAMPS AND JENNY READ-HEIMERDINGER The present section deals with the events following the conversion of Saul (Acts 9:1-30). Since the Greek pages of Codex Bezae are missing from 8:29–10:14 and the Latin ones from 8:20b–10:4, we have noted in the Critical Apparatus the variants of other witnesses that differ from the Alexandrian text but at no time consider that a single text, equivalent in its uniformity to the Alexandrian one, can be reconstructed from these readings. The dif- ferences among the so-called ‘Western’ witnesses are considerable, and it is almost certain that there were readings of Codex Bezae that are represented by none of them and that cannot therefore be retrieved. II. The Gestation of a New Church (cont.) [BB] 9.1-30 Saul Saul is the second of a series of three portraits (8:1b–11:18), the story of his conversion occupying the centre of the threefold structure. Like the portrait of Philip in the previous story ([BA] 8:4-40), that of Saul/Paul will also involve a learning process but one that will result in a much more extensive change and that will have dramatic consequences. At this stage in the narrative, Luke allows his audience to know only that Jesus intended Saul to bear his name ‘before the Gentiles, and kings, and also the sons of Israel’ (cf. 9:15), as a general statement entrusting to Saul the role of ‘name-bearer’ rather than the specific mission that he was asked to undertake. It is only later that Paul will reveal, when he is more ready and more able to comply, that Jesus commanded him to take the gospel principally to the Gentiles (22:21; cf. Gal. 2:7). Once Luke’s audi- ence know this, it becomes clear in retrospect that Saul’s responsibility was to ensure the spread of the gospel out of Judaea to people previously excluded from the people of God, a notion already introduced in Philip’s evangelisation of the Ethiopian eunuch who could not fully participate in Israel because he could not be circumcised (8:14-26). Indeed, the call of Saul as apostle to the Gentiles contains the seed of the ultimate fulfilment of Jesus’ command to the apostles before his ascension to testify to him to the ends of the earth. It is only the seed, however, and while it germinates Filología Neotestamentaria - Vol. XVI - 2003, pp. 133-145 Facultad de Filosofía y Letras - Universidad de Córdoba (España)