The Variant Readings of the Western Text of the Acts of the Apostles 145 [b] 2 and finding a certain Jew called 2 and finding a certain Jew called Aquila – a man of Pontus by race Aquila – a man of Pontus by race who had recently come from Italy who had recently come from Italy and Priscilla his wife, too, because and Priscilla his wife, too, because Claudius had issued an order for all of the issuing of an edict for all Jews to leave Rome and so they had Jews to leave Rome – he approached come to live in Achaia – Paul ap- them; proached him; [c] 3 and, since he shared the same 3 and, because he was of the same trade, he stayed in their house and trade, he stayed with them and they began working. began working (for they were tent makers by trade). [d] 4a Going into the synagogue every 4a He would lecture in the syna- Sabbath, he lectured there. gogue every Sabbath, [e] 4b And by introducing the name of 4b and he tried to persuade Jews the Lord, Jesus, he tried to persuade and Greeks. not only Jews but even Greeks. [f] 5a Silas and Timothy arrived then 5a When Silas and Timothy came from Macedonia. down from Macedonia, [g] 5b Paul began to devote himself to 5b Paul began to devote himself to the word, witnessing to the Jews the word, witnessing to the Jews that the Messiah was the Lord, Je- that the Messiah was Jesus. sus. [f'] 6 However, while, on the one hand, 6 However, since they were contra- much talking was going on and the dicting and blaspheming, he shook Scriptures were being interpreted out his clothes and said to them, and, on the other, they were resist- ‘Your blood be on your own heads; I ing and blaspheming, Paul shook am clean. From now on, I will go to out his clothes and said to them, the Gentiles.’ ‘Your blood be on your own heads; I am clean from you! Now I am going to the Gentiles.’ [e'] 7 Moving away from Aquila’s, what 7 And moving away from there, he did was to go to the household of he went into the house of a certain a certain God-fearer by the name of God-fearer by the name of Titius Justus, whose house was next door Justus, whose house was next door to the synagogue. to the synagogue. [d'] 8a The leader of the synagogue, 8a Crispus, the synagogue leader, Crispus, came to believe in the Lord believed in the Lord with the whole with the whole of his household. of his household. [c'] 8b And many of the Corinthians 8b And many of the Corinthians who heard began believing one by who heard began believing one by one, and were baptized as they be- one and were baptized. lieved in God through the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.