The Variant Readings of the Western Text of the Acts of the Apostles 165 ξ P74 )* A 33. 242. 383. 522. 547. 630. 876. 913. 945. 1739. 1765. 1838. 1891. 2127. 2298 al syh? bo aethpt; Chrpt. The same intention as was noted in the above variant is seen to con- tinue in this one, with B03 having Barnabas and Saul continuing their journey towards Ierousalem and D05 leaving it. The B03 reading makes little sense at first sight and has been extensively discussed39 but without taking account of the theological significance underlying the D05 text. It is possible that ε ερουσαλ μ should be read with the participle πληρ σαντε , and that the previous verb π στρεψαν is used in an absolute sense, meaning ‘they returned to Antioch’. τ ν ( ω νην [-νν- B ) A]) D* | κα DH E H L P Ψ 049. 056. 614 M ‖ om. B P74 ) 1739. 1891. The article in D05 is anaphoric, referring back to the mention of John-Mark at 12.12 and viewing his presence from the point of view of Barnabas and Saul who already know him; its omission in B03 treats the mention of John-Mark at this point as not necessarily expected as far as the audience of Acts is concerned40. (τ ν) πικληθ ντα B D E H L P Ψ 049. 056. 614. 1739 M ‖ πικαλο μενον P74 ) A 33. 81. 88. 927. 1175. 1270. 1505. 1646. 1828. 1837. 2344. 2495 al, qui cognominatur d gig sa. The aorist participle in both B03 and D05 refers back to the time when John was first recognized as having the function of communicating the gospel (12:12, present participle). The use of the aorist aspect signifies that his function here had been recognized in the past although he was not currently exercising it (cf. present tense at 15:37). The present tense of )01 suggests that the function is being exercised at this point, if indeed the difference in the two aspects of the expression is recognized by that text. Jenny READ-HEIMERDINGER Josep RIUS-CAMPS 20 East Lane Església de St. Pere de Reixac Embsay Apartat 41 N. Yorkshire – BD23 6QA E-08110 Montcada i Reixac (UNITED KINGDOM) (SPAIN) E-mail: jenny@heimerdinger.freeserve. E-mail: riuscamps@yahoo.es co.uk 39 See Barrett, I, 595-96; Metzger, Commentary, 350-52. 40 Cf. Read-Heimerdinger, The Bezan Text, 139–43, where the variant of 12:25 could be added to the discussion.