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.
144 Josep Rius-Camps and Jenny Read-Heimerdinger
naming the name of Jesus were a group that was distinguishable from the
main circle of Jewish exorcists.
τοῦ (κυρίου) B P38.74 אDC rell || om. D* 1799.
D05 typically omits the article in the phrase τὸ ὄνομα κυρίου Ἰησοῦ.
See comments on 19:5 above, and cf. 19:17 below.
Ὁρκίζω B D, Adiuro d P74 אA E Ψ 33. 181. 242. 467. 1175. 1898. 2344
sams bo || Ὁρκίζομεν H L P 049. 056. 69 M | Ἐξορκίζομεν P38 36. 242. 257.
323. 431. 440. 453. 536. 614. 945. 1611. 1739. 1799. 1891. 2147. 2298. 2412.
Although B03 and D05 read the singular verb, P38 together with many
manuscripts reads the plural, in line with the longer reading of 19:14
(see below). The plural verb in v. 14, however, is justified by the speakers
being the sons of Sceva, whereas the singular here corresponds to each
exorcist who acted independently.
19:14 ἦσαν δέ τινοϛ (τινεϛ P74 אA H L P 049. 056 Ψ M lat syh)
Σκευᾶ Ἰουδαίου ἀρχιερέωϛ ἑπτὰ υἱοὶ (+ οἱ E Ψ H L P 049. 056 Ψ
M) τοῦτο ποιοῦντεϛ B P41.[74] ( אA E H L P 049. 056 Ψ M lat) syp.[h]
|| ἐν οἷϛ καὶ υἱοὶ (+ ἑπτὰ syhmg) Σκευᾶ τινοϛ ἱερέωϛ ἠθέλησαν τὸ αὐτὸ
ποιῆσαι – ἔθοϛ εἶχαν τοὺϛ τοιούτουϛ ἐξορκίζειν – καὶ εἰσελθόντεϛ
πρὸϛ τὸν δαιμονιζόμενον ἤρξαντο ἐπικαλεῖσθαι τὸ ὄνομα λέγοντεϛ·
Παραγγέλλομέν σοι ἐν Ἰησοῦ ὃν Παῦλοϛ ἐξελθεῖν κηρύσσει D* (κηρ.,
ἐξ. Ds.m., in quo et fili Scevae cuiusdam sacerdotis voluerunt similiter
facere – consuetudinem habebant apud eos exorcizare – et introierunt
adimplentes [?] coeperunt invocare nomen dicentes: Praecipimus tibi
Iesu, quem Paulus praedicat, exire d) w syhmg; (Cass) Ephr | ἐν οἷϛ καὶ υἱοὶ
Ἰουδαίου τινὸϛ ἀρχιερέωϛ ἠθέλησαν τὸ αὐτὸ ποιῆσαι – ἔθοϛ ἔχοντεϛ
ἐξορκίζειν τοὺϛ τοιούτουϛ – καὶ εἰσελθόντεϛ πρὸϛ δαιμονιζόμενον
ἤρξαντο ἐπικαλεῖσθαι τὸ ὄνομα λέγοντεϛ· Παραγγέλλομέν σοι ἐν
Ἰησοῦ ὃν Παῦλοϛ ὁ ἀπόστολοϛ κηρύσσει ἐξελθεῖν P38.
The differences between the two texts are again significant. B03 men-
tions seven sons of a Jewish High Priest called Sceva who were involved
in the type of exorcism described in the previous verse; the sons of Sceva
could be taken either as the previously mentioned itinerant Jewish exor-
cists or as some among them. Rather than periphrastic, the verb ἦσαν is
presentative (‘They were’ or ‘There were’, according to the first or second
interpretation) and the participle ποιοῦντεϛ is predicative (see Trans-
lation). The problems with the B03 reading are several: 1) the number
seven, which does not tally with the pronoun ἀμφότεροι in 19:16 unless
the later sense of ‘all’ be attributed to it; it does, however, correspond to
the name Sceva as the Hebrew number seven ((b#); 2) the presence of
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