This is the final volume in the justifiably lauded four-volume commentary on the Book of Acts, presenting a fresh look at the text of Codex Bezae and comparing its message with that of the more familiar Alexandrian text - of which the Codex Vaticanus is taken as a representative.
Where Codex Bezae is lacunary (after 22.29), other manuscripts that often support Bezan readings elsewhere are employed. Although based on the Greek text, the commentary aims to be accessible to those who are not familiar with Greek. It is intended to publish the entire Greek text of Codex Bezae following the publication of this fourth volume. The fourth volume addresses Acts 18.24-28.31, the chapters that cover the trial of Paul and the last stage of the mission to the Gentiles, culminating in Paul's unhindered proclamation of the gospel in Rome.
For each section, there is a side by side translation of the Vaticanus and Bezan manuscripts (or related alternatives after 22.29), followed by a full critical apparatus which deals with more technical matters, and finally, a commentary which explores in detail the differences in the message of the two texts. Of particular interest in this part of Acts is the evaluation made by the author of Paul's defence at his successive trials which, it is argued, is considerably less favourable than is commonly assumed.

The third volume in the four-volume commentary on the "Book of Acts", this work presents a fresh look at the text of "Codex Bezae" and compares its message with that of the more familiar Alexandrian text of which Codex Vaticanus is taken as a representative. It deals with Acts 13.1-18.23, the chapters that cover the first two stages of the mission to the Gentiles, with the intervening meeting in Jerusalem (14.28-15.41). For each section, there is a side by side translation of the Bezan and Vaticanus manuscripts, followed by a full critical apparatus which deals with more technical matters, and finally, a commentary which explores in detail the differences in the message of the two texts. Of particular interest in this part of Acts are the person of Paul and the unfolding of his character and theology. It is found that in the Bezan text Luke portrays him as a fallible disciple of Jesus who, despite his powerful enthusiasm, is hindered by his traditional Jewish understanding from fully carrying out the mission entrusted to him in these first stages. The conclusion is drawn that the portrait of an exemplary hero in the Alexandrian text is a later modification of the flawed picture. Formerly the "Journal for the Study of the New Testament Supplement", a book series that explores the many aspects of New Testament study including historical perspectives, social-scientific and literary theory, and theological, cultural and contextual approaches. "The Early Christianity in Context" series, a part of "JSNTS", examines the birth and development of early Christianity up to the end of the third century CE. The series places Christianity in its social, cultural, political and economic context. European Seminar on Christian Origins is also part of "JSNTS". "Journal for the Study of the Historical Jesus Supplement" is also part of "JSNTS".

Jenny Read-Heimerdinger examines the language of Luke-Acts, exploring aspects of Luke's use of Greek that traditional approaches have not generally accounted for previously. Drawing on contemporary developments in linguistics - broadly referred to as 'discourse analysis' - Read-Heimerdinger emphasises that paying close attention to the context of language is vital to understanding the reasons behind an author's choices. Read-Heimerdinger applies the tools of discourse analysis to several features of Luke's Greek - such as variation in word order, the use of the article and fine distinctions between synonyms - in order to demonstrate how principles that govern their use subsequently affect exegesis. In addition, she makes suggestions to account for manuscript variation, which in turn have an impact on the editorial choices of Nestle-Aland's Greek New Testament.

A comparison of the message of Acts transmitted by Codez Bezae with that of the more familiar Alexandrian text, represented by Codex Vaticanus. For each section of Acts, there is a side by side translation of the Bezan and Alexandrian manuscripts, followed by a critical apparatus and, finally, a commentary that explores the differences in the message of the two texts. It is concluded that the Bezan text, with its interest in internal Jewish affairs and its focus on the struggles of the early disciples to free themselves from their traditional Jewish expectations and to achieve, despite their mistakes, a more accurate understanding of their master's teaching, is the earlier of the two texts. LNTS 302

The Bezan ("Western") text of Acts is traditionally dismissed as the work of an enthusiastic and fanciful scribe who embellished the original text represented by the Alexandran manuscripts. This study compares the language of Codex Bezae with that of Codex Sinaiticus and Codex Vaticanus, using the approach of discourse analysis to re-assess how variant readings have arisen. It emerges that the language patterns of the Alexandrian text are variable and the focus of its message historical. In contrast, the Bezan text displays an exceptional degree of lingusitic consistency and a coherence of purpose which is essentially theological, with a marked interest in a Jewish point of view. The conclusion is that Bezan is the earlier of the two texts.

This book is a comparison of the message of Acts transmitted by Codex Bezae with that of the more familiar Alexandrian text, represented by Codex Vaticanus. For each section of Acts, there is a side by side translation of the Bezan and Alexandrian manuscripts, followed by a critical apparatus and, finally, a commentary that explores the differences in the message of the two texts. It is concluded that the Bezan text, with its interest in internal Jewish affairs and its focus on the struggles of the early disciples to free themselves from their traditional Jewish expectations and to achieve, despite their mistakes, a more accurate understanding of their master's teaching, is the earlier of the two texts.

Jenny Read-Heimerdinger examines the language of Luke-Acts, exploring aspects of Luke’s use of Greek that traditional approaches have not generally accounted for previously. Drawing on contemporary developments in linguistics — broadly referred to as ‘discourse analysis’ — Read-Heimerdinger emphasises that paying close attention to the context of language is vital to understanding the reasons behind an author’s choices. Read-Heimerdinger applies the tools of discourse analysis to several features of Luke’s Greek — such as variation in word order, the use of the article and fine distinctions between synonyms — in order to demonstrate how principles that govern their use subsequently affect exegesis. In addition, she makes suggestions to account for manuscript variation, which in turn have an impact on the editorial choices of Nestle-Aland’s Greek New Testament.

This is the first complete English translation of Luke's Demonstration to Theophilus (the books of Luke and Acts) as found in "Codex Bezae." "Codex Bezae" is a bilingual 4th century Greek-Latin manuscript. In the past it has been viewed as a marginal manuscript witness. However, the pioneering work of Jenny Read-Heimerdinger and Josep Rius-Camps (The Message of Acts in "Codex Bezae" 4 vols, published by T&T Clark) has brought the variant readings in this fascinating document to the fore. Their work reveals that, far from being a late revision, "Codex Bezae" can be seen as one of the oldest versions of Luke's work in existence. This book presents the two texts unified in one volume, as Luke intended them, for the first time in any published edition. After an introduction explaining the importance of the Bezan text, as well as providing obeservations about its variances from other manuscripts a meticulous and continuous Greek transcript is presented together with the English translation on facing pages. This will prove an indespensible reference tool for scholars of Luke-Acts.

This is the final volume in the justifiably lauded four-volume commentary on the Book of Acts, presenting a fresh look at the text of Codex Bezae and comparing its message with that of the more familiar Alexandrian text - of which the Codex Vaticanus is taken as a representative. Where Codex Bezae is lacunary (after 22.29), other manuscripts that often support Bezan readings elsewhere are employed. Although based on the Greek text, the commentary aims to be accessible to those who are not familiar with Greek. It is intended to publish the entire Greek text of Codex Bezae following the publication of this fourth volume. The fourth volume addresses Acts 18.24-28.31, the chapters that cover the trial of Paul and the last stage of the mission to the Gentiles, culminating in Paul's unhindered proclamation of the gospel in Rome. For each section, there is a side by side translation of the Vaticanus and Bezan manuscripts (or related alternatives after 22.29), followed by a full critical apparatus which deals with more technical matters, and finally, a commentary which explores in detail the differences in the message of the two texts. Of particular interest in this part of Acts is the evaluation made by the author of Paul's defence at his successive trials which, it is argued, is considerably less favourable than is commonly assumed.