Josep Rius-Camps, «The Variant Readings of the Western Text of the Acts of the Apostles (XIX) (Acts 13:13-43).», Vol. 20 (2007) 127-146
In Acts 13:13-43, Paul and Barnabas are seen continuing their missionary activity, notably in Antioch of Pisidia where Luke describes their visit to the synagogue. He recreates in some detail Paul’s first speech, which is noteworthy for the way in which he presents Jesus as the Messiah first and foremost for Israel, a perspective with which Luke is at odds in Codex Bezae. Paul’s overriding concern for his own people, the Jews, to accept his message is strongly in evidence. However, their negative reaction when he extends the message of Jesus to Gentiles causes him, together with Barnabas, to turn from the Jews to the Gentiles. In the Alexandrian text, their announcement of this fact refers to a change on a local scale within Antioch, but in the Bezan text they make a declaration that represents a radical decision and an event of momentous significance in the history of Israel: in view of the Jews’ hostility to the message of Jesus, they will no longer have privileged possession of the Word of God, the Torah that had originally been entrusted to Israel, since it is to be henceforth shared with the Gentiles. The idea of the sharing of the heritage of Israel with the Gentiles is one that will provoke opposition to Paul wherever he preaches to the Jews in future locations, and a theme that Luke will develop over the subsequent chapters.
128 Josep Rius-Camps and Jenny Read-Heimerdinger
direction the mission was taking, in which Luke takes the side of John as
will become clear in Acts 15:37-39 when the split is reinforced.
There are just two sentences in the sequence, which form two separate
elements, the second corresponding to the first as a comment on it:
[a] 13:13a Arrival in Perga of Pamphylia
[a’] 13:13b The departure of John
Translation
Codex Bezae D05 Codex Vaticanus B03
[a] 13:13a Setting sail from Paphos, Paul 13:13a Setting sail from Paphos, Paul
and his circle came to Perga of Pam- and his circle came to Perga of Pam-
phylia. phylia.
[a’] 13b John, however, having separated 13b John, however, having separated
from them, returned to Hierosoluma. from them, returned to Hierosoluma.
Critical Apparatus
13:13 Ἰωάνηϛ B D ‖ -νν- P45.74 ) rell.
The only difference in this verse is the spelling of John (Mark), where
both B03 and D05 agree in having the single ν. The single consonant in
the name of John-Mark is also found at 12:12 B03 D05.25 D05*; 13:5
E08 (-νν- B03 D05); 15:37 D05; cf. the single ν in the name of John, the
brother of James: 1:13 D05; 12:2 D05.
[D] 13:14-52 Pisidia: Antioch
The sequence that takes place in Antioch of Pisidia is the central one
in this section of Acts relating the first phase of Paul’s missionary activ-
ity. As such, it has a key role to play in the progress of the mission,
and in the development of Paul’s strategy. John-Mark having left them,
Paul and Barnabas go for the first time into a region that has not been
mentioned previously with regard to the spread of the gospel, but where
their point of contact remains the synagogue. From Antioch, they will
leave the region of Pisidia and go to Iconium in the neighbouring area of
Phrygia (Sequence [C’]).
In the synagogue in Antioch, Paul, who had become the leader of the
mission (cf. 13:13), will pronounce the first of his speeches recorded by
Luke. It is important to note that Luke composes the speeches of his
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