107 The Variant Readings of the Western Text of the Acts of the Apostles (XX) (Acts 14:1-27) JOSEP RIUS-CAMPS AND JENNY READ-HEIMERDINGER Acts 14:1-27 continues the story of the mission of Paul and Barnabas among the Gentiles, illustrating what happened when they had decided to turn from the Jews (cf. 13.46-47) to devote their attention to the Gentiles. Following an account of Paul’s initial struggle with this decision, brought out more clearly in Codex Bezae, Luke describes the mitigated success of his first deliberate attempts to talk with the Gentiles about the gospel. The establishment of the first churches as a result of the missionary work of Paul and Barnabas is described as the passage concludes by bringing the missionaries back to Antioch of Syria, where Luke is careful to maintain the focus on the Gentiles. Part Three.— I. The First Phase of the Mission to the Gentiles (Paul and Barnabas). 13:1–14:27 (concl.) [C’] 14.1-7b Phrygia: Iconium Overview The change of setting from Antioch to Iconium at the end of the pre- vious sequence [D] also marks the beginning of a new sequence [C’] in the travel narrative. In actual fact, from the point of view of the content, the division between the sequences is not a clear one and the connection is almost seamless. The sequence in Iconium falls into two episodes, with three elements in the first and four in the second. The setting of the first partepisode is in the synagogue, whereas in the second it is the broader setting of the town. The Alexandrian text lacks two elements, the final one in each episode, so the structure is given here according to the Bezan text: [C’-A] 14.1-2 In the synagogue [a] 14.1 Paul in the synagogue [b] 14.2a Persecution by the Jewish leaders [b’] 14.2b The Lord gives peace [C’-A’] 14.3-7b In the city Filología Neotestamentaria - Vol. XXII - 2009, pp. 107-132 Facultad de Filosofía y Letras - Universidad de Córdoba (España)