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 157
had formed in Ephesus. The other three occurrences of the passive verb
with a negative sense (cf. the positive sense at 11:26 D05) are all found in
the account of confusion in Ierousalem, first at Pentecost (2:6) and then
when Paul was seized by the Jews from Asia (21:27.31). The active verb
also occurs in a negative sense when Saul/Paul confounded the Jews in
Damascus (9:22, D05 lac.).
With the omission in B03 of the movement of the craftsmen into the
street, the attenuated reference to the city (not the whole city) filled with
confusion is appropriate.
ὥρμησάν τε B P74 אrell, impetumque fecerunt d || ὥρμησαν δέ D 69. 547
pc.
D05 treats the next step of rushing to the theatre as a new movement
(δέ), arising out of the indignation of the whole city (see previous vari-
ant). B03 views it as the culmination (τε) of the response to the speech
of Demetrius.
καὶ (συναρπάσαντεϛ) D, et (rapuerunt) d gig || om. B P74 אrell.
The particle before the participle is adverbial, highlighting the men-
tion of Paul’s travelling companions for the first time.
19:30 Παύλου δὲ βουλομένου B P74 *אA 33. 69. 2344 | τοῦ δὲ Π. βουλ. א
c
E H L P Ψ 049. 056. 614. 1739 M || βουλ. δὲ τοῦ Παύλου D, ipso autem
volente Paulo d gig.
Paul having been introduced obliquely at the end of the previous sen-
tence, B03 now reintroduces him as an active participant in the narrative.
The shift of focus accounts for the absence of the article as well as the
position of his name at the front of the new sentence (see Heimerdinger
and Levinsohn, ‘The Use of the Article’, p. 26). The word order of D05 as
well as the retention of the article before Παῦλοϛ both reflect the narra-
tor’s view that Paul has not left the stage despite the action of secondary
characters since the last mention of him at 19:21.
οὐκ εἴων αὐτὸν οἱ μαθηταί B P74 אrell || οἱ μαθ. ἐκώλυον D (discipuli
non sinebant d) syp; Ephr.
The construction of B03, with the use of the accusative pronoun to
refer to Paul who is the subject of the initial genitive absolute, is less
than elegant (Barrett, II, p. 930: ‘Luke is not writing in his best style’).
By omitting the redundant pronoun and further, by placing οἱ μαθηταί
before the verb, D05 gives prominence to the disciples in this sentence.
This is reinforced by the positive verb ἐκώλυον rather than the negative
οὐκ εἴων, both in the imperfect.
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