Josep Rius-Camps - Jenny Read-Heimerdinger, «The Variant Readings of the Western Text of the Acts of the Aspostles (XXV) (Acts 18:24–19:40).», Vol. 26 (2013) 127-163
In the text of Acts according to Codex Bezae, a fourth and final part of the book begins at 18.24. It is Paul’s ultimate goal of Rome that separates it from the earlier missionary phases and confers unity on the remainder of the book. In this opening section (Section I), his activity will be centred for three years in Ephesus, the main city of Asia, where he will meet with some success despite hostility from some of the Jews. In his dealings with the Gentiles, opposition will also be encountered because of the threat posed by his teachings to the trade of the city. The Bezan narrator indicates plainly that Paul’s travel to Ephesus should have been the initial stage of his journey to the imperial capital. Additional references in Codex Bezae to the directions given to Paul by the Holy Spirit make clear that his visit had been prepared for by the work of Apollos; however, it was contrary to his own intentions, which were rather to go back to Jerusalem. The struggle against the divine leading is seen as Paul terminates his stay in Asia once he has carefully prepared for his return to Jerusalem.
146 Josep Rius-Camps and Jenny Read-Heimerdinger
the next, none has been described. The succession of the participle of
ἀποκρίνομαι, here the neuter ἀποκριθέν, and the finite verb εἶπεν is a
common formula in Luke’s work.
D05, in contrast, has prepared the scene in some detail (see above)
so that the response of the evil spirit belongs to the development of the
story. Nonetheless, it interrupts the command of the would-be exorcists,
as expressed by the adverbial τότε, ‘then, at that point’. The asyndeton
before the second finite verb εἶπεν provides a dramatic pause to reinforce
the surprise of the spirit’s sudden interruption; the story then continues
by explaining the content of the spirit’s response.
(Τὸν) μὲν (Ἰησοῦν) B P41 א2 E Ψ 383. 614. 1505. 1611. 2147. 2412. 2495
pc syh; Cass || om. D d P38vid.74 *אA H L P 049. 056. 33. 1739 M latt co.
With the particle μέν, B03 anticipates the contrast between Jesus and
Paul on the one hand, and ὑμεῖϛ (δέ) on the other.
19:16 ἐφαλόμενοϛ B P38.74 *אA 547. 1175 pc | ἐφαλλ- P41 א2 E H L P
Ψ 049. 056. 33. 383. 614. 1739 M || ἐναλλόμενοϛ D, insiliens d vg.— ὁ
ἄνθρωποϛ ἐπ’ αὐτούϛ B P38.41 אA Ψ 33. 36. 614. 1175. 1505 al | ἐπ’ αὐ.
ὁ ἄνθ. P74 H L P 049. 056 pm || εἰϛ αὐτοὺϛ ὁ ἄνθ. D, in eos homo d vg.
B03 has the aorist participle of the verb ἐφάλλομαι, of which the only
other biblical occurrences are at 1 Kgdms 10:6; 11:6; 16:13 lxx where
the subject is the Spirit of God; the aorist apparently views the action
of the man as preparatory to his mastering of his exorcists. D05 reads
the present participle of ἐνάλλομαι, otherwise found at Job 6:27; 16:5.11;
19:5; 1 Macc. 3:23; 4 Macc. 6:8 lxx with reference to hostile attacks; the
participle expresses the means whereby the man mastered the others.
κατακυριεύσαϛ B P74 E 33. 614. 1175. 1505 al | καὶ κατακ- *א104. 323.
453. 1241 al | καὶ (– A pc) κατακ-σαν A M | κατεκ-σεν 1739. 1891 pc ||
κυριεύσαϛ D, dominatus d א2 (Ψ) pc.
The compound verb κατακυριεύω in B03 expresses the idea of com-
plete mastery more forcefully than the simple verb of D05.
ἀμφοτέρων B D, utrisque d P74 אA 33. 36. 88. 104. 614. 1175. 1505. 1611.
2344. 2412. 2495 pc syh | αὐτῶν H L P Ψ 049. 056. 945. 1739 M vg | τῶν
ἑπτά co | om. E.
The pronoun ἀμφοτέρων, meaning ‘both’, poses a problem for the
text that speaks of seven sons of Sceva at 19:14 (see above). Exegetes
interpret the word as ‘all’, a secondary meaning attested outside the New
Testament though not before 167 ce (B-A-G, ἀμφότεροι, 2; B-D-R, §64.6
and n. 10). Elsewhere, Luke always uses ἀμφοτέρων with the sense of
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