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.
The Variant Readings of the Western Text of the Acts of the Apostles 153
Critical Apparatus
19:24 (Δημήτριοϛ γάρ τιϛ) ὀνόματι B P74 אrell || ἦν D syp; Cass | om. d
gig.— ναούϛ B gig || ναοὺϛ ἀργυροῦϛ D, tempula argentea d P74 א2 rell |
ναὸν ἀργυροῦν *א.— παρείχετο B P74 אA2 C H L P Ψ 049. 056. 383. 614
M || ὃϛ παρεῖχε D, qui prestabat d (– ὅϛ A* E 2147 pc).
The structure of the sentence, as a new character is introduced into
the narrative, varies from one text to another. B03 reads ὀνόματι after
the name, making less abrupt the introduction of Demetrius who had not
hitherto been mentioned; he is the subject of the main verb παρείχετο in
the middle voice, with an intervening participle ποιῶν that most prob-
ably has adverbial force (‘by making’). D05 does not soften the abrupt
introduction of the new participant, but has the presentative ἦν as the
main verb; the participle then is adjectival (‘making’); and the verb
παρεῖχε, in the active voice, is linked with a relative pronoun. By means
of the presentative form of the sentence, D05 introduces Demetrius as a
more prominent figure, reinforced by the active voice of παρέχω, which
puts him in a dominant position with respect to the craftsmen rather
than including him among them as the middle does (B-A-G, παρέχω,
1c, cf. 2c; it is possible that the active form is a scribal error caused by
homoioteleuton: παρειχε<το>τοιc).
19:25 οὓϛ (συναθροίσαϛ) B P74 אrell || οὗτοϛ D, hic d 257. 614. 1108.
(ὅϛ 1270). 1505. 1518. 1611. 1799. 2138. 2412. 2495 pc gig vgCDT sy sa;
Cass.— (συναθροίσαϛ) καί B P74 אrell vg || om. D d 614. 808 gig vgCDOT
sy sa.— ἐργάταϛ B P74 אA E rell (qui … operabantur d) || τεχνίταϛ D e
vgCDT syp.h** sa; Ephr Cass.
The strong focus on Demetrius continues in D05 with the nominative
relative pronoun, and one direct object of the participle συναθροίσαϛ,
the craftsmen (τεχνίταϛ) who are the people just mentioned in the previ-
ous sentence. With the accusative plural pronoun, B03 has Demetrius
calling together the craftsmen just mentioned as well as (καί) the workers
of the same trade – the distinction between the two groups is not obvious.
εἶπεν B P74 אrell || ἔφη πρὸϛ αὐτούϛ D, ait ad eos d syp.h** sa.
With the prepositional phrase, D05 presents Demetrius as establish-
ing at the outset of his speech a direct and deliberate relationship with
his audience, a personal connection that is absent in B03 (on the force
of the pronominal phrase, see Read-Heimerdinger, The Bezan Text, pp.
180–182).
The imperfect ἔφη is found as a variant reading for the aorist εἶπεν
elsewhere in Acts (11:28 D05; 16:30 B03; 19:25 D05; 22:27b B03).
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