Josep Rius-Camps, «The Variant Readings of the Western Text of the Acts of the Apostles (XIX) (Acts 13:13-43).», Vol. 20 (2007) 127-146
In Acts 13:13-43, Paul and Barnabas are seen continuing their missionary activity, notably in Antioch of Pisidia where Luke describes their visit to the synagogue. He recreates in some detail Paul’s first speech, which is noteworthy for the way in which he presents Jesus as the Messiah first and foremost for Israel, a perspective with which Luke is at odds in Codex Bezae. Paul’s overriding concern for his own people, the Jews, to accept his message is strongly in evidence. However, their negative reaction when he extends the message of Jesus to Gentiles causes him, together with Barnabas, to turn from the Jews to the Gentiles. In the Alexandrian text, their announcement of this fact refers to a change on a local scale within Antioch, but in the Bezan text they make a declaration that represents a radical decision and an event of momentous significance in the history of Israel: in view of the Jews’ hostility to the message of Jesus, they will no longer have privileged possession of the Word of God, the Torah that had originally been entrusted to Israel, since it is to be henceforth shared with the Gentiles. The idea of the sharing of the heritage of Israel with the Gentiles is one that will provoke opposition to Paul wherever he preaches to the Jews in future locations, and a theme that Luke will develop over the subsequent chapters.
The Variant Readings of the Western Text of the Acts of the Apostles 137
Gordon elsewhere (‘Targumic Parallels to Acts XIII 18 and Didache
X1V 3’, Nov. Test. 16 [1974], pp. 285–289) takes up the suggestion made by
Lake and Cadbury (English Translation and Commentary, p. 149) that the
forms á¼Ï„ÏοποφόÏησεν (read here by B03 and D05) and á¼Ï„ÏοφοφόÏησεν
(apparently read by d5) are not to be understood as different verbs but
simply phonetic variations of the same verb Ï„ÏοφοφοÏέω in the aorist.
This may be the case, but the fact that á¼Ï„ÏοποφόÏησεν reflects the MT
text of Deut. 1:31 means that it is difficult to be certain.
13:19 καὶ (καθελών) D, et d P74 ) rell ‖ om. B 6. 81 pc sa.
The omission of καί in B03 may be due to haplography that arose
because of the following καθελών (Bruce, Text, p. 263; Metzger, Com-
mentary, p. 359), but if ὡϛ is taken as ‘when’, καί is superfluous (see
discussion of previous verse).
(τὴν γῆν) αá½Ï„ῶν B P74 ) (+ ἀλλοφύλων DE) rell ‖ τῶν ἀλλοφύλων D*,
allo-phoelorum d syh** mae.
The ambiguity of the referent of αá½Ï„ῶν in B03 is avoided by the read-
ing of D05. The term ἀλλόφυλοϛ only occurs elsewhere in the New Tes-
tament at Acts 10:28. In the LXX, it is first used at Exod. 34:15 (according
to certain witnesses, see Rahlfs) where the context is precisely the entry
of the people of Israel into Canaan and YHWH’s promise to drive out
the inhabitants of the land of which six nations are named (omitting the
Gergashites of Deut. 7:1). Elsewhere in the LXX, ἀλλόφυλοϛ is usually a
reference to the Philistines, but cf. Isa. 61:5 where it is again a general
term for foreigners.
13:20 ὡϛ (ἔτεσιν) B P74 ) rell, quasi d vg | καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα ὡϛ DD E H L
P Ψ 049. 056. 1739 M ‖ καὶ ἕωϛ D* gig.– (πεντήκοντα.) καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα
ἔδωκεν B P74 ) A C 33. 36. 81. 453. 1175. 2344 pc vg | καὶ ἔδ. 614. 1611.
2412 pc ‖ (πεντήκοντα) ἔδωκεν D, dedit d E H L P Ψ 049. 056. 1739 M.
B03 attaches the time phrase, again prefaced with ὡϛ (cf. v. 18), to
the previous clause, where ὡϛ could indicate the approximate time taken
for the events described in vv. 17-19; it then starts a new sentence with
‘After those things’, i.e. the time in Egypt and the desert and the conquest
of Canaan. The Byzantine MSS, together with Corrector D of D05, begin
a new sentence at the start of the verse, attaching the time phrase to the
period between the conquest of Canaan and that of the judges. D05 situ-
ates the end of the 450 years with Samuel who came after the judges (cf. 1
Kgs 6:1, 480 years from the exodus up to the fourth year of Solomon).
(Σαμουὴλ) Ï€Ïοφήτου B P74 ) A 81 pc ‖ τοῦ Ï€Ï. D C E H L P Ψ 049. 056.
1739 M.