Josep Rius-Camps - Jenny Read-Heimerdinger, «The Variant Readings of the Western Text of the Acts of the Apostles (XVIII).», Vol. 19 (2006) 99-112
13:1-12 is the section covered by these notes, a passage that marks
an important development in the narrative as Paul becomes the main
protagonist for the rest of the book of Acts. It is in these verses that the
Holy Spirit calls him, by his name of Saul, to be the collaborator of Barnabas
for the work of spreading the message of Jesus to the Gentiles. The mission
begins in Cyprus, where Paul’s strategy of visiting the Jews first, in order to
prepare them for the entry of the Gentiles into Israel, will be shown up by
Luke, in the text of Codex Bezae, to be out of step with the plan of Jesus.
The Variant Readings of the Western Text of the Acts of the Apostles 109
of directing attention on Barnabas and Saul. This is achieved in D05 by
use of the adverbial καί. καί between the participle συγκαλεσάμενοϛ and
the finite verb á¼Î¶á½µÏ„ησεν is a construction characteristic of D05 which the
AT regularly avoids. The force of καί is to draw attention to the action of
the finite verb22. The purpose of highlighting the action in this instance
appears to be to underline the active part played by the proconsul, the
first Gentile to deliberately seek out Barnabas and Saul to hear their
message.
8 Ἐλύμαϛ (ὠμάγοϛ) B P45.74 a DD rell ‖ Ἑτοιμᾶϛ D* (ΕΤ.ΙΜΑΣ), etoemas
d; etoemus Lcf, etimas Ambst, hetymam Pac.
At 13:6, gig w vgmss Lcf read paratus (i.e. ἕτοιμοϛ).
The two names and their interpretation have been the subject of some
debate23.
The D05 reading Ἑτοιμᾶϛ, from the adjective ἕτοιμοϛ, ‘ready’, is
confirmed by the Latin text and those witnesses that read paratus at 13:6.
Following the analysis of the name given at 13:6 above, the translation of
ΒαÏιησοῦα as Ἑτοιμᾶϛ is appropriate. As Zahn points out24, the prefix
‘bar-’ is common in Semitic languages to express the nature of a person,
but it is not necessary to translate it to render the sense in Greek.
The adjective ἕτοιμοϛ is used of Peter, Lk 22:33; and adverbially
(ἑτοίμωϛ) of Paul, Acts 21:13. In both cases, the word expresses their
readiness to die for the sake of the Messiah, but in a context that involves
their failure to grasp the universal scope of the Messiahship of Jesus.
(πίστεωϛ) á¼Ï€ÎµÎ¹Î´á½´ ἥδιστα ἤκουεν αá½Ï„ῶν D*, quoniam libenter audiebat
eos d (E) syh** mae ‖ om. B P45.74 a Ds.m. rell.
D05 makes the explicit observation that the proconsul was particularly
interested by what he was hearing. Cf. Mk 6:20: καὶ ἡδέωϛ αá½Ï„οῦ (John
the Baptist) ἤκουεν (Herod).
9 καὶ (ἀτενίσαϛ) D, et d P45 E H P Ψ 049. 056. 614 M e gig ‖ om. B P74 a
A C DD L 33. 81. 88. 104. 945. 1175. 1739. 1837. 1891. 2344.
It was observed with reference to 3:3-525 that the verb ἀτενίζω is
restricted in the Bezan text to a gaze directed towards divine power or a
Read-Heimerdinger, The Bezan Text, 208–210.
22
Cf. J.R. Harris, ‘A Curious Bezan Reading Vindicated’, The Expositor, ser. V, vol. V
23
(1902) 189–95. The reading ΕΤΟΙΜΑΣ in D05 is affirmed by Scrivener, Codex Bezae, 443
(fol. 466b, l. 19).
Zahn, Die Apostelgeschichte, 418.
24
Rius-Camps - Read-Heimerdinger, The Message of Acts, I, 206; 212–213.
25
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