87 “Doubting” in Acts 10:20? servants of a Gentile to summon Peter, a Jew. However, in my opinion, the spirit’s assurance and, at the same time, assertion of final authority, “I have sent them”, functions as a narrative marker that signals the end to Peter’ opposition to the spirit’s instructions; it is not a semantic marker proving Luke has given διακρίνομαι a “NT meaning”. Third, suggesting that the middle/passive διακρίνομαι be translated with an active meaning, “make distinctions”, avoids appealing to a dis- tinct meaning of the verb’s middle/passive voices in the NT. However, it does not explain Luke’s use of varying grammatical forms of the same verb, διακρίνω, within one extended narrative about Peter’s encounter with Cornelius in Caesarea and fellow disciples in Jerusalem (10:1-11:18). Rather, it both assimilates the content of the preceding vision – because Peter just learned that there is no distinction between clean and unclean foods, he is also not to “make distinctions” between himself and Cornelius’ servants – and anticipates the active phrase μηδὲν διακρίναντα (“dis- criminating nothing”) that Luke uses in 11:12. In fact, the textual tradi- tion of 11:12, and exegetical traditions of translating μηδὲν διακρίναντα, are complex and and highlight the problematic nature of διακρίνομαι’s “NT meaning”. With respect to textual tradition20: some manuscripts have the middle/passive participle (διακρινόμενον) instead of the active (διακρίναντα); others have a different, yet semantically related, word (ἀνακρίναντα); still others omit the phrase μηδὲν διακρ- altogether. The extended narrative of Acts supports both a middle and an active ren- dering of 11:12: the middle/passive (μηδὲν διακρινόμενον) agrees with 10:20, the active (μηδὲν διακρίναντα) foreshadows Peter’s statement at the meeting between Jerusalem leaders and Paul in 15:9 (οὐθὲν διέκρινεν μεταξὺ ἡμῶν τε καὶ αὐτῶν, “in no way did I differentiate between us and them”)21. With respect to translations of μηδὲν διακρίναντα: in con- temporary exegetical literature, renderings of the active phrase fluctu- ate at times, reflecting the difficulties interpreters have in determining διακρίνομαι’s meaning in 10:20. Whereas many translate the phrase “making no distinction”22, some superimpose διακρίνομαι’s perceived “NT meaning” (in 10:20) onto the active διακρίνω (in 11:12)23. For an assessment of the textual tradition of 11:12, cf. F.J. Foakes Jackson and Kir- 20 sopp Lake, eds., The Text of Acts, The Beginnings of Christianity 1/3: The Acts of the Apostles (Grand Rapids 1979) 104. Cf. David P. Moessner, “The Appeal and Power of Poetics (Luke 1:1-4): Luke’s Superior 21 Credentials (παρηκουλουθηκότι), Narrative Sequence (καθεχῆς), and Firmness of Under- standing (ἡ ἀσφάλεια) for the Reader”, in D.P. Moessner (ed.), Jesus and the Heritage of Israel. Luke’s Narrative Claim upon Israel’s Legacy (Harrisburg 1999) 84-123, here 101. Cf. Bruce, Acts 269; Dautzenberg, “διακρίνω” 733. 22 For instance, Fitzmyer (Acts 469, 471) translates μηδὲν διακρίναντα, “without 23 hesitation”. James D. Dunn (The Acts of the Apostles [Narrative Commentaries; Valley