Josep Rius-Camps - Jenny Read-Heimerdinger, «The Variant Readings of the Western Text of the Acts of the Apostles (XVI) (Acts 9:31–11:18).», Vol. 17 (2004) 45-88
The present section deals with the events concerning the conversion of Peter (Acts 9:31–11:18) whereby he at last comes to understand that the good news of Jesus is for Jews and Gentiles alike. Since the Greek pages of Codex Bezae are missing from 8:29 to 10:14 and the Latin ones from 8:20b to 10:4, we have noted in the Critical Apparatus the variants of other witnesses that differ from the Alexandrian text. From 10:4b (fol. 455a), the Latin text of Codex Bezae is available. The Greek text starts at 10:14b (fol. 455b).
72 Josep Rius-Camps and Jenny Read-Heimerdinger
38 ὡϛ ἔχÏισεν αá½Ï„όν B P74 ) DC rell ‖ ὃν ἔχÏ. D* d it syM.h.p mae aeth; Cyr
Epiph Ambr.
B03 takes the statement about God anointing Jesus as the content of
what Peter’s audience know (οἴδατε, 10:37), whereas D05 take it as being
related back to the mention of Jesus in the previous clause.
πνεύματι á¼Î³á½·Ï‰ B P74 ) rell ‖ á¼Î³á½·Ï‰ πνεÏματι D d.
Luke uses various forms to refer to the Holy Spirit43. B03 reads the
form that is something of a stereotyped expression in Luke’s writings,
generally used to signal a momentous event, as here. The adjective occurs
after the noun when the focus is on the Spirit as such rather than on the
holiness. The form attested by D05, in which the adjective is placed before
the anarthrous noun, is found nowhere else in Luke’s work. By disrupting
the stereotypical formula, the expression draws attention to the Holy
Spirit. This can be accounted for by the fact that although Peter is familiar
with the Holy Spirit, he is talking to Gentiles who were not familiar in the
same way. Once again, the account of D05 presents information from the
point of view of the hearer (cf. on 10:37 above, ᾿Ιουδαίαϛ).
ὃϛ (διῆλθεν) B P74 ) rell ‖ οὗτοϛ D d it vgCT syM.p sa; Vig.
The demonstrative pronoun in D05 corresponds to the relative
pronoun (ὅν) introducing the previous clause (see above). Since in place
of D05’s relative pronoun B03 read αá½Ï„όν, a relative pronoun can be used
here without difficulty.
(τοὺϛ) καταδυναστευομένουϛ B P74 ) rell, qui obtenebantur d ‖ -θένταϛ
D syM.p; Irlat.
B03 views the oppressive action of the devil as being exercised at the
time of Jesus’ ministry, whereas D05 views it as an action previously
accomplished.
39 (μάÏÏ„Ï…Ïεϛ) πάντων B P74 ) rell ‖ αá½Ï„οῦ D d syM.p aeth | om. 383. 915.
2147.
It must be supposed that the reading of ΥΜΕΙΣ in D05 (nos d) at the
beginning of the sentence instead of ΗΜΕΙΣ is due to itacism, especially
in view of the reading ‘his witnesses’, since Cornelius and his household
cannot be thought of as witnesses of Jesus.
The various forms of the expression are analysed in detail in Read-Heimerdinger, The
43
Bezan Text, 144–72.