Josep Rius-Camps, «The Variant Readings of the Western Text of the Acts of the Apostles (XX) (Acts 13:44-52)», Vol. 21 (2008) 139-146
In Acts 13:44-52, Luke narrates the events in Antioch of Pisidia that follow his speech in the synagogue. A series of critical variant readings arise in the text of Codex Bezae that alter significantly the perspective of the narrative. While the Alexandrian text presents the incidents, and the response of Paul and Barnabas to them, as being of local relevance and importance, Codex Bezae indicates that they also relate to a wider dimension involving the whole history of Israel, and their relationship as a people with God and with the Gentiles. Indeed, in the face of the hostile reaction of the Jews to their message about Jesus, Paul and Barnabas declare that the time has come for the gifts that had hitherto been their privilege to be shared on a universal scale with non-Jews. Thus, this passage is a key text for understanding the on-going relationship between Paul and the Jews throughout the rest of his mission.
The Variant Readings of the Western Text of the Acts of the Apostles 141
[c’] 48a And on hearing, the nations 48a On hearing, the nations
rejoiced and they received the rejoiced and glorified the word
word of God; of the Lord;
[b’] 48b and they believed, in so far 48b and they believed, as many
as they were appointed to eternal as were appointed to eternal life.
life.
[a’] 49 And the word of the Lord 49 The word of the Lord began
began to be taken throughout to be taken throughout the
the whole country. whole country.
[Ba] 50a The Jews then incited the 50a The Jews then incited the
God-fearing prominent women, God-fearing and prominent
as well as the rulers of the city; women, as well as the rulers of
the city;
[b] 50b and they stirred up great 50b and they stirred up
affliction and persecution persecution against Paul and
against Paul and Barnabas and Barnabas and drove them out
drove them out from their bor- from their borders.
ders.
[b’] 51 As for them, having shaken 51 As for them, after shaking
the dust off their feet at them, the dust off their feet at them,
they arrived in Iconium. they went to Iconium,
[c] 52 The disciples were filled with 52 and the disciples were filled
joy and the Holy Spirit. with joy and the Holy Spirit.
Critical Apparatus
13.44 (Τῷ) τε B E P 049. 056 M syh | γε C 1646 | τότε H5 L || δΠD, autem
d P74 ) A C Ψ 33. 81. 88. 323. 440. 547. 614. 945. 1175. 1270. 1739. 1837.
1891. 2147. 2412 al latt.
δΠin D05, together with the fronted time phrase, marks a new deve-
lopment in the narrative. τε is probably an example of a phonetic error
that occurs on a number of occasions in Acts, especially in )01/B03 (see
Read-Heimerdinger, The Bezan Text, pp. 205–206; 210–11).
πᾶσα (ἡ πόλις) B P74 ) rell || ὅλη D.
ὅλος in D05 stresses the idea of the city in its entirety (cf. 13.43 D05).
ὅλος occurs several times in D05 either as a vl for πᾶϛ (22.5 D05, ὅλον τὸ
πϱεσβυτÎϱιον) or as an additional reading (Lk. 19.44; Acts 13.43b; 14.6,
7; 19.29). Twice, it is B03 that reads ὅλος where D05 reads πᾶϛ (Lk. 11.34
B03, πᾶν τὸ σῶμά σου; Acts 2.2, πάντα τὸν οἶκον).
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