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.
The Variant Readings of the Western Text of the Acts of the Apostles 195
Textual Connections, pp. 127-129). In D05, the activity of Judas and
Silas is presented as a new development with δέ.
(ὄντες) πλήρεις πνεύματος ἁγίου D, pleni spiritu sancto d || om. B P33.74
) rell.
The comment by the narrator in D05 on Judas and Silas is a positive
one, endorsing their activity (cf. Stephen, 6:10 D05; Peter, 15:7 D05).
(διὰ λόγου) πολλοῦ B P33.74 ) rell || om. D d.
B03 qualifies the speaking of Judas and Silas as ‘much’.
15:34 ἔδοξε δὲ τῷ Σιλᾷ (Σιλεᾷ D d) ἐπιμεῖναι αὐτούς D*, placuit autem
Sileae sustinere eos d C 33 (πρὸς αὐτούς DA | αὐτόθι 945 | αὐτοῦ 36.
88. 242. 257. 307. 323. 383. 431. 453. 467. 522. 536. 610. 614. 915. 1108.
1175. 1409. 1611. 1739. 1678. 1799. 1891. 1898. 2147. 2298. 2344. 2412
al it vgmss syh** sa bomss aeth; Cass Ephr) || om. B P74 ) A E H L P Ψ 049.
056. 69. 81 M dem e p vgww.st syp bo; Chr.— μόνος δὲ Ἰούδας ἐπορεύθη
D P127, solus autem Iudas profectus est d ar gig l ph ro (+ εἰς Ἰερουσαλήμ
w vgcl); Cass || om. B P74 ) A C E H L P Ψ 049. 056. 33. 1739 M dem e p
vgww.st syp bo; Chr.
B03 omits any mention of a split between Silas and Judas. The
third person accusative pronoun relating to Silas in the D05 clause is
the subject of the infinitive ἐπιμεῖναι. Apart from C04 and 33, other
witnesses appear to have considered it to be anomalous, interpreting
the sentence in different ways: the Latin page d5 translates the verb
as sustinere; Corrector A of D05 supplies the preposition πρός; other
Greek manuscripts and versions take it to be an error for the locative
αὐτοῦ (cf. 21:4, ἐπεμείναμεν αὐτοῦ [D05 lac.; d5 mansimus apud eos),
although the locative pronoun is superfluous given that the prefix ἐπι-
already expresses the local sense of the verb (Moulton and Howard, p.
312). The omission of the sentence by many other witnesses may have
arisen because of the harshness of the conflict evident in the D05 text, or
because αὐτούς was perceived as an anomaly.
15:35 Παῦλος δέ B P74 ) rell || ὁ δὲ Παῦλος D P127, Paulus vero d.
The article prefacing the joint names of Paul and Barnabas in D05
is an indication that they have remained in focus, as a united pair,
throughout this scene.
μετὰ καὶ (ἑτέρων) B P127 ) DE rell || καὶ (– Ds.m. 1739*) μετά D*, et cum d.
The particle καί is adverbial in both texts, with the position after μετά
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