135 THE VARIANT READINGS OF THE WESTERN TEXT OF THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES (XVII) (ACTS 11:19–12:25) JOSEP RIUS-CAMPS JENNY READ-HEIMERDINGER These notes on the Bezan text of Acts bring to an end the long sec- tion (II) of the narrative that goes from 1:8b–11:26, concluding now with a glimpse of the new church in Antioch of Syria. Section III (11:27-30) presents the relationship between the church in Antioch and that in Judaea. There follows the final section IV, 12:1-25 (cf. FN XIII [2000] 89 for an explanation of the sections), which brings to a dramatic conclusion this part of Acts. II. The Gestation of a New Church (8:1b–11:26) (concl.) Having completed the sequence [B] that deals with the three key char- acters and the lessons they needed to learn, the narrator now returns to those disciples who had been scattered after the death of Stephen, picking up the story from where he had left it at 8:3 (Sequence [A]). This final sequence brings to a close the section overall (Section II). The steps taken by each of the three key characters in the previous sequence prepared the way for the break with the synagogue, which is noted in the final colophon that brings the section to a close at 11:26c. [A’] 11:19-26b Jews and Gentiles in Antioch The sequence consists of three episodes, essentially set in Antioch though brief glimpses are seen of both Ierousalem and Tarsus, and the overall theme is the establishment of a church that is made up of both Gentile and Jewish believers. The opening episode brings back the Hellenist disciples, picking up the narrative from where it broke off at 8:3 with the dispersion of the Hel- lenist disciples following the death of Stephen; they are the first to arrive in Antioch. The second episode brings back into the story Barnabas who, last seen assisting Saul in Ierousalem, still has associations with the Ier- ousalem church and is sent by them to Antioch when they hear about the Hellenists’ activity there. Barnabas, in turn, gets Saul to come to Antioch Filología Neotestamentaria - Vol. XVIII - 2005, pp. 137-167 Facultad de Filosofía y Letras - Universidad de Córdoba (España)