Josep Rius-Camps - Jenny Read-Heimerdinger, «The variant readings of the western text of the acts of the apostles (XIII)», Vol. 15 (2002) 111-132
Josep Rius-Camps continues his series of notes on the readings of Codex Bezae in the text of Acts, in collaboration with Jenny Read-Heimerdinger. The present section deals with the events following Stephen’s death, namely the persecution of the Jesus-believers and the ministry of Philip.
Having undertaken a joint project to publish in English a commentary comparing the message of the Bezan text of Acts with that of the Alexandrian
tradition, adopting as a basis the commentary in Catalan of Josep Rius-Camps, we will continue the series of notes on the Acts of the Apostles
in both our names using the format of the English publication (of which the first volume on Acts 1–5 has recently appeared).
The Variant Readings of the Western Text of the Acts of the Apostles (XIII) 117
Translation
Codex Bezae D05 Codex Vaticanus B03
[Aa] 4 Now those who had been scat- 4 Now those who had been scattered
tered travelled about preaching travelled about preaching the word.
the word.
[b] 5 Philip went down to a city of 5 Philip went down to the city of
Samaria and began preaching Samaria and began preaching to
to them the Messiah. them the Messiah.
[c] 6a Just as the crowds were ac- 6a The crowds paid eager attention
customed to listen to anything, to the things Philip was saying
so they paid eager attention to
the things Philip was saying.
[d] 6b They were won over as they 6b as they all listened together and
listened and saw the signs he saw the signs he was doing.
was doing.
[e] 7a For from many of those who 7 For out of many of those who had
had unclean spirits, they were unclean spirits, the spirits were com-
coming out shouting with a ing out shouting with a loud voice;
loud voice.
[f] 7b Many paralysed people who 7b and many paralysed and lame
were lame were being healed, 8 people were healed. 8 So there arose
and great joy arose in that city. great joy in that city.
[a′] 9 A certain man named Simon, 9 A certain man named Simon was
who was already in the city already practising magic in the city
practising magic, astonished the and astonishing the people of Sa-
people of Samaria saying that he maria, saying that he himself was
himself was someone great; someone great;
[b′] 10 from the smallest to the 10 from the smallest to the greatest,
greatest, everyone paid him ea- everyone paid him eager attention,
ger attention, saying, ‘This man saying, ‘This man is the power of
is the power of God called the God called the Great Power’.
Great Power’.
[c′] 11 They eagerly listened to him 11 They eagerly listened to him be-
because he had astonished them cause he had astonished them for
for some time by his sorceries. some time by his sorceries.
[d′] 12 But when they believed 12 But when they believed Philip as
Philip as he preached about the he preached about the kingdom of
kingdom of God and the name God and the name of Jesus Christ,
of Jesus Christ, they were bap- they were baptized, both men and
tized, both men and women. women.
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