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 159
go down into the arena because they saw that the Jews were putting him
forward to make a defence).
(κατασείσαϛ) τὴν χεῖρα B P74 *אrell || τῇ χειρί D, (innuens) manu d
א2 Ψ 104. 181. 255. 467. 1175. 1270. 1505. 1838. 2344. 2495 pc vg; Chr
Theophlem Cass.
B03 has the unusual accusative direct object after κατασείσαϛ (‘with
a motion of the hand’, L-S-J, κατασείω, 4, p. 910 B). When the verb is
used elsewhere in Acts with χείρ (12:17; 13:16; 21:40), the more expected
dative is used (‘beckon with the hand’, L-S-J, ibid.), as here in D05.
19:34 ἐκ πάντων B P74 אrell || πάντων D, omnium d lat.
With the preposition B03 pictures one voice coming from all the peo-
ple; without the preposition, the genitive presents the voice as belonging
to them all.
ὡσεί B P74 33. 1837. 2344 pc || ὡϛ D אA rell.
The two particles have a distinct function in Luke’s writings: whereas
ὡσεί is used to express an approximate number, ὡϛ causes an allusion
to be made to an earlier, parallel occurrence of the number (see Read-
Heimerdinger, ‘Luke’s Use of ὡϛ and ὡσεί’, pp. 251–274). In the context
of the narrative in Ephesus, the parallel occurrence of the number ‘two’ is
the detail that Paul taught in Ephesus for two years (cf. 19:10).
Μεγάλη ἡ Ἄρτεμιϛ Ἐφεσίων, Μεγ. ἡ Ἄρτ. Ἐφ. B | Μεγ. ἡ Ἄρτ. Ἐφ. P74
אDD rell || Μεγ. Ἄρτ. Ἐφ. D.
The repetition of the acclamation in B03 is a rhetorical device that
has the function of an exclamation mark (pace B-D-R, §493.1: ‘Die Epan-
odiplosis, dh die nachdrückliche Verdopplung eines gewichtigen Wortes,
ist dem NT nicht unbekannt, aber nirgends als rethorisch zu betrachten,
sondern überall als Wiedergabe der wirklichen Rede’).
The absence of the article before Ἄρτεμιϛ in D05 was also observed at
the previous occurrence of the same acclamation (19:28b). It underlines
the name of the goddess, and distinguishes her from any rival claimant
to greatness.
19:35 καταστείλαϛ B P74 אA H L P 049. 056. 614. 1739 M, cum compes-
cuisset d || κατασείσαϛ [sc. τῇ χειρί, cf. v. 33b] D E Ψ 1. 614. 1505. 1518.
1611. 2138. 2412. 2495; Chr Theophlem.
The participle καταστείλαϛ in B03 anticipates the perfect passive
κατεσταλμένουϛ at 19:36; the verb καταστέλλω only occurs at these two
places in the NT. In D05, the participle κατασείσαϛ takes up the same
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