Josep Rius-Camps - Jenny Read-Heimerdinger, «The Variant Readings of the Western Text of the Acts of the Apostles (XXII) (Acts 14:28–15:41)», Vol. 23 (2010) 175-200
In Chapter 15 of Acts, a point of critical importance for the growth of the Church and its relationship with Judaism is reached. Luke narrates the difficulty posed for Jewish Jesus-believers by the increasing number of Gentiles believers and the decision taken by the Church leaders in Jerusalem not to subject them to the usual conditions for proselytes. In the Bezan text, some conflict of opinion between Peter, Paul and Barnabas on the one hand, and James on the other is apparent, a tension that is attenuated in the Alexandrian text. Further conflict is also highlighted in Codex Bezae between Paul and Barnabas who separate following the meeting in Jerusalem.
194 Josep Rius-Camps and Jenny Read-Heimerdinger
[c] 32 Judas and Silas, who were 32 Judas and Silas, who were
themselves prophets, when they themselves prophets, exhorted the
were full of the Holy Spirit they brethren with their many words and
exhorted the brethren with their strengthened them.
words and strengthened them.
[c'] 33 When they had been there for 33 When they had been there for a
a while, they were sent off in pea- while, they were sent off in peace by
ce by the brethren to those who the brethren to those who had sent
had sent them. them;
[b'] 34 Silas, however, decided they
would remain; but Judas went,
alone.
[a'] 35 Paul and Barnabas stayed on 35 and Paul and Barnabas stayed on
in Antioch, teaching and an- in Antioch, teaching and announcing
nouncing – with many other peo- – with, indeed, many other people
ple – the good news of the word – the good news of the word of the
of the Lord. Lord.
Critical Apparatus
The newly published P127 is extant for the rest of this section, with
variants from 15:30 to the end of the chapter that support the text of D05
in places (D.C. Parker – S.R. Pickering, ‘4968. Acta Apostolorum 10–12,
15–17’, in The Oxyrhyncus Papyri 74 (GRM, 95; London: The Egypt
Exploration Society, 2009), 1-45.
15:30 (ἀπολυθέντες) ἐν ἡμέραις ὀλίγαις D* P127, in diebus paucis d (l) ||
om. B P33.74 ) Ds.m. rell.
The presence of a time detail in D05, absent from B03, can also be
observed at, e.g., 2:1 D05; 3:1 D05; 16:11 D05; 19:9 D05.
(καὶ) συναγαγόντες B P33.74 ) DB rell, et cum collegissent d || συνάγοντες
D* P127 2492.
The aorist participle in B03 expresses the time sequence, with the
handing in of the letter taking place after the church was assembled. In
D05, though the facts remain the same, the present participle conveys a
greater sense of urgency.
15:32 (Ἰούδας) τε B P33 ) rell, quoque d || δέ D P74 88. 1646. 1854.
If τε in B03 is intentional (i.e. it is not due to phonetic confusion), the
clause it introduces is presented as additional information (Levinsohn,