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.
130 Josep Rius-Camps and Jenny Read-Heimerdinger
[DA-A] 13:14-41 In the synagogue
[a] 13:14 Arrival of Paul and Barnabas in the synagogue
[b] 13:15 Invitation to speak
[b’] 13:16-41a Paul’s speech
[a’] 13:41b Silence
[DA-B] 13:42-43 Synagogue response
[a] 13:42 Renewed invitation
[b] 13:43a Many follow Paul and Barnabas
[b’] 13:43b The spread of the word throughout the city
The narrator’s observation that Paul’s speech was met with silence is
absent from the Alexandrian text.
Translation
Codex Bezae D05 Codex Vaticanus B03
[Aa] 13:14 Having travelled from Perga, they 13:14 Having travelled from Perga, they
arrived in Antioch of Pisidia, and having arrived in Pisidian Antioch, and having
entered into our synagogue on the Sab- gone into the synagogue on the day of the
bath, they sat down. Sabbath, they sat down.
[b] 15 After the reading of the Law and the 15 After the reading of the Law and the
Prophets the synagogue rulers sent to
Prophets the synagogue rulers sent to
them, saying, ‘Men, brothers, if there is them, saying, ‘Men, brothers, if there is
one of you who is a speaker or a wise among you any word of exhortation for
person, or an exhorter, speak to the peo- the people, speak’.
ple’.
16 Paul, having stood up and made a sign
[b’] 16 Paul, having stood up and made a
with his hand, said, ‘Men Israelites, and
[α] sign with his hand, said, ‘Men Israelites,
those fearing God, listen. 17 The God of
and those fearing God, listen. 17 The
the people of Israel chose our fathers, and
God of this people, Israel, chose our fa-
he made the people great during their stay
thers; for the sake of the people, he made
in the land of Egypt and with his arm
them great during their stay in the land
of Egypt and with his arm lifted high he lifted high he led them out of it. 18 And
when for 40 years he endured them in the
led them out of it. 18 And for 40 years he
desert, 19 having destroyed seven nations
cared for them in the desert 19 and, hav-
ing destroyed seven nations in the land in the land of Canaan, he gave their land
of Canaan, he gave as an inherit-ance as an inheritance, 20 [all in all] something
like 450 years. And after these things, he
the land of the foreigners; 20 and for 450
gave judges until the Prophet Samuel. 21
years he gave judges until Samuel the
Then they asked for a king and God gave
prophet. 21 Then they asked for a king
and God gave them Saul son of Kish, a to them Saul, son of Kish, a man from the
man from the tribe of Benjamin, for 40 tribe of Benjamin, for 40 years. 22 When
he had removed him, he raised up David
years. 22 When he had removed him, he
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