The Bible Student's Guide to
New Testament Textual Variants

Acts 20:21-28:29


Acts 20:21:

TEXT: "faith in our Lord Jesus."
EVIDENCE: B P Psi 614 some Byz one lat syr(h) cop(south)
TRANSLATIONS: ASVn NRSV NIV NEB REB TEV CSB
CERTAINTY: B

NOTES: "faith in our Lord Jesus Christ."
EVIDENCE: p74 Aleph(א) A C D ("through") E 33 945 1241 1739 2495 some Byz most lat vg syr(p) cop(north)
TRANSLATIONS: KJV NKJV ASV RSV ESV NASV

COMMENTS: It was common for copyists to expand the name of Jesus.

Acts 20:24:

TEXT: " I might accomplish my course and the ministry"
EVIDENCE: p41 Aleph(א) A B D 33 lat syr(p) cop
TRANSLATIONS: ASV RSV NRSV ESV NASV NIV NEB REB TEV CSB
CERTAINTY: -

NOTES: " I might accomplish my course with joy and the ministry"
EVIDENCE: C E L Psi 614 945 1241 1739 Maj syr(h)
TRANSLATIONS: KJV NKJV CSBn

COMMENTS: The text reading is supported by early manuscripts of multiple text types.

Acts 20:28:

TEXT: "the church of God which he purchased with [his] own blood."
EVIDENCE: Aleph(א) B 614 2495 some Lect two lat vg syr one cop(north)
TRANSLATIONS: KJV NKJV ASVn RSV NRSV ESV NASV NIV NEBn REBn TEV CSB
CERTAINTY: C

NOTES: "the church of the Lord which he purchased with [his] own blood."
EVIDENCE: p74 A C* D E Psi 33 945 1739 four lat most cop
TRANSLATIONS: ASV RSVn NRSVn ESVn NASVn NIVn NEB REB TEVn CSBn

NOTES: "the church of the Lord and God which he purchased with [his] own blood."
EVIDENCE: C3 P 049 {1241 some Byz ("Lord God")} some Byz most Lect
TRANSLATIONS: CSBn

COMMENTS: While it is possible that the phrase "the church of the Lord" (found nowhere else in the New Testament) was replaced with the more familiar "the church of God" (found eleven times in the writings of Paul), it is more likely that "church of God" is original but copyists took offense at "[his] own blood" and changed "God" to "the Lord." When the two are abbreviated, as they often were in manuscripts, there is only one letter's difference between them. The reading "the church of the Lord and God" is a combination of the two readings, as is "the church of the Lord God" which is read by many of the Byzantine manuscripts in braces above.

Acts 20:28:

TEXT: "which he purchased with [his] own blood." or "which he purchased with the blood of [his] Own."
EVIDENCE: p74 Aleph(א) A B C D E Psi 33 945 1739 syr
TRANSLATIONS: ASV [RSV NRSV ("blood of his own Son")] RSVn NRSVn ESV ESVn NASV? NIV? NEBn REBn TEV ("death of his Son") TEVn CSB?
CERTAINTY: B

NOTES: "which he purchased with [his] own blood."
EVIDENCE: P 614 1241 2495 Byz Lect
TRANSLATIONS: KJV NKJV NASV? NIV? NEB REB CSB?

COMMENTS: The reading in the text is slightly ambiguous and can be translated either of the two ways found above. Copyists altered the text slightly so that it could only mean "with [his] own blood."

Acts 20:32:

TEXT: "And now I commit plyou to God"
EVIDENCE: Aleph(א) A B D 13 33 81 vg syr cop
TRANSLATIONS: ASV RSV NRSV ESV NASV NIV NEB REB TEV CSB
CERTAINTY: -

NOTES: "And now, brothers, I commit plyou to God"
EVIDENCE: C E H L P Byz
TRANSLATIONS: KJV NKJV CSBn

COMMENTS: The text reading is supported by early manuscripts of multiple text types. In the manuscripts supporting the notes reading, the word for "brothers" follows the word for "plyou."

Acts 20:32:

TEXT: "I commit plyou to God"
EVIDENCE: p74 Aleph(א) A C D E L P Psi 049 056 0142 33 614 945 1241 1739 2495 Byz Lect most lat vg syr(p,h) most cop(south)
TRANSLATIONS: KJV NKJV ASV RSV NRSV ESV NASV NIV NEB REB TEV CSB
CERTAINTY: B

NOTES: "I commit plyou to the Lord"
EVIDENCE: B one lat most cop
TRANSLATIONS: ASVn

COMMENTS: The text reading is supported by the majority of early manuscripts of multiple text types.

Acts 21:1:

TEXT: "and from there to Patara. And"
EVIDENCE: p74 Aleph(א) A B C D P Psi 33 614 945 1241 1739 2495 Byz two lat most vg syr cop(north)
TRANSLATIONS: KJV NKJV ASV RSV NRSV ESV NASV NIV NEB REB TEV CSB
CERTAINTY: C

NOTES: "and from there to Patara and Myra." And
EVIDENCE: p41vid D one lat some vg cop(south)
TRANSLATIONS: RSVn NRSVn ESVn NEBn

COMMENTS: Although it is possible that "and Myra" was omitted by a mistake of the eye (when copyists' eyes jumped from the "ra" at the end of "Patara" plus the word for "and" to the "ra" at the end of "Myra" plus the word for "and"), it is more likely that "Myra" was added from the reference in Acts 27:5 or from the apocryphal Acts of Paul and Thecla which says that Paul had a residence in Myra.

Acts 21:22:

TEXT: "What then is [to be done]? They will certainly hear"
EVIDENCE: B C*vid 614 1739* 2495 syr cop
TRANSLATIONS: ASV RSV NRSV ESV NASV NIV NEB REB TEV CSB
CERTAINTY: C

NOTES: "What then is [to be done]? A multitude certainly has to come together; for they will hear"
EVIDENCE: p74 Aleph(א) A C2 D E P Psi 33 945 1241 1739c Byz lat vg
TRANSLATIONS: KJV NKJV CSBn

COMMENTS: Although it is possible that the extra words were deliberately omitted to remove what might appear to be a mob of Christians, it is more likely that the words are an expansion introduced by copyists.

Acts 21:25:

TEXT: "we have sent a letter with our judgment"
EVIDENCE: p74 Aleph(א) A C2 E P 33 945 1241 1739 Byz three lat vg syr? cop(south)
TRANSLATIONS: KJV NKJV ASV RSV NRSV ESV NASV NIV TEV CSB
CERTAINTY: C

NOTES: "we have sent with our judgment"
EVIDENCE: B C* D Psi 614 2495 syr? cop(north)
TRANSLATIONS: ASVn [NEB REB ("our decision")]

COMMENTS: There is only one vowel's difference between the two readings: one verb means to send a letter, and the other means to send someone. The latter is the more common verb, and probably replaced the former because of a mistake of the ear.

Acts 21:25:

TEXT: "that they should keep themselves"
EVIDENCE: p74 Aleph(א) A B 33 one lat vg syr(p) cop
TRANSLATIONS: ASV RSV NRSV ESV NASV NIV NEB REB TEV CSB
CERTAINTY: C

NOTES: "that they should observe no such thing except they should keep themselves"
EVIDENCE: (C) D (E) P Psi 049 056 0142 614 {945} 1241 {1739} (2495) Byz some lat syr(h)
TRANSLATIONS: KJV NKJV CSBn

COMMENTS: The evidence in braces has "but" instead of "except." While it is possible that the extra clause found in the reading in the notes was omitted to conform to the decision in chapter 15, it is more likely that it is a Western expansion since these are quite common in Acts.

Acts 21:25:

TEXT: "keep themselves [from meat] sacrificed to idols and [from] blood and [from] what is strangled and [from] sexual immorality."
EVIDENCE: p74 Aleph(א) A B C E P Psi 33 614 945 1241 1739 2495 Byz two lat vg syr cop
TRANSLATIONS: KJV NKJV ASV RSV NRSV ESV NASV NIV NEB REB TEV CSB
CERTAINTY: C

NOTES: "keep themselves [from meat] sacrificed to idols and [from] blood and [from] sexual immorality."
EVIDENCE: D two lat
TRANSLATIONS: RSVn NRSVn ESVn NEBn REBn

COMMENTS: Although it is possible that the words "and what is strangled" were accidently omitted by a mistake of the eye, the fact that they are also omitted in Acts 15:20, 29 by the same manuscripts indicate that they were deliberately omitted in an attempt to make all the laws moral ones (taking "blood" as "blood-shedding," that is, "murder").

Acts 22:9:

TEXT: "those who were with me indeed saw the light but"
EVIDENCE: p74 Aleph(א) A B 049 33 1241 one lat vg syr(p) cop(north)
TRANSLATIONS: ASV RSV NRSV ESV NASV NIV NEB REB TEV CSB
CERTAINTY: C

NOTES: "those who were with me indeed saw the light and became afraid but"
EVIDENCE: D (Greek only) E P Psi 056 0142 614 945 1739 2495 Byz some lat syr(h) cop(south)
TRANSLATIONS: KJV NKJV CSBn

COMMENTS: While it is possible that "and became afraid" was accidently omitted by a mistake of the eye (the last four letters the same as those of the previous word), the words are the sort of addition often found in the Western text.

Acts 22:20:

TEXT: "I myself also was standing by and consenting"
EVIDENCE: Aleph(א) A B E lat cop
TRANSLATIONS: ASV RSV NRSV ESV NASV NIV NEB REB CSB
CERTAINTY: -

NOTES: "I myself also was standing by and consenting to his killing"
EVIDENCE: L Psi (33) 614 945 1241 1739 Maj syr(p)
TRANSLATIONS: KJV NKJV TEV CSBn

COMMENTS: The words "to his killing" seem to have been added by copyists influenced by Acts 8:1.

Acts 22:30:

TEXT: "he loosed him"
EVIDENCE: p74 Aleph(א) A B C E Psi 945 1739 lat syr
TRANSLATIONS: ASV RSV NRSV ESV NASV NIV NEB REB CSB
CERTAINTY: -

NOTES: "he loosed him from [his] bonds"
EVIDENCE: L 614 1241 Maj
TRANSLATIONS: KJV NKJV TEV CSBn

COMMENTS: The phrase "from [his] bonds" is the sort of clarification that copyists often made. It is missing from early manuscripts of multiple text types.

Acts 23:9:

TEXT: " And [what] if a spirit or an angel spoke to him?"
EVIDENCE: p74 Aleph(א) A B C E Psi 33 81 945* 1739 lat syr
TRANSLATIONS: ASV RSV NRSV ESV NASV NIV NEB REB TEV CSB
CERTAINTY: -

NOTES: " And if a spirit or an angel spoke to him, we should not fight against God."
EVIDENCE: L 614 945c 1241 Maj cop(south)
TRANSLATIONS: KJV NKJV CSBn

COMMENTS: Apparently later copyists finished the unfinished if clause, perhaps from Acts 5:39. The extra words are missing from early manuscripts of multiple text types.

Acts 23:15:

TEXT: "that he may bring him down to plyou"
EVIDENCE: p48vid p74 Aleph(א) A B C E Psi 33 81 945 1739 lat syr cop
TRANSLATIONS: ASV RSV NRSV ESV NASV NIV NEB REB TEV CSB
CERTAINTY: -

NOTES: "that he may bring him down to plyou tomorrow"
EVIDENCE: L 614 1241 Maj
TRANSLATIONS: KJV NKJV CSBn

COMMENTS: The word "tomorrow" was apparently added by copyists from verse 20. It is missing from early manuscripts of multiple text types.

Acts 23:20:

TEXT: "as though [there was] going to be an inquiry"
EVIDENCE: {p74} Aleph(א)* {A B E} 33 {81 one lat cop(north)}
TRANSLATIONS: {ASV} NIV NEB REB
CERTAINTY: C

NOTES: "as though [they were] going to inquire"
EVIDENCE: Aleph(א)c P Psi 614 945 1241 1739 2495 Byz four lat vg syr cop(south)
TRANSLATIONS: KJV NKJV RSV NRSV ESV NASV NIV? NEB? REB? TEV CSB

COMMENTS: The question is whether the middle/passive participle "going" is singular or plural and understood as a middle voice or passive voice verb. The evidence listed in braces is spelled differently (long "o" instead of short "o"). With the short o, the participle is taken as an impersonal passive. With a long o, the participle is taken as a middle referring to the colonel or tribune ("as though [you were] going to inquire"; so ASV). The UBS committee preferred the short o although there is more evidence for the long o. The evidence for the plural reading "they" is spelled four different ways. The reading "they" seems to be a correction made by copyists to make this verse say the same thing as verse 15. The English translations without braces use an indefinite construction.

Acts 23:28:

TEXT: "they were accusing him, I brought [him] down to their council. I found"
EVIDENCE: p74 {p48vid} Aleph(א) A {B2(margin) E P Psi} 33 614 945 {1241} 1739 {2495 Byz lat vg syr cop}
TRANSLATIONS: KJV NKJV ASV RSV NRSV ESV NASV NIV NEB REB TEV CSB
CERTAINTY: C

NOTES: "they were accusing him. I found"
EVIDENCE: B* 81
TRANSLATIONS: ASVn

COMMENTS: The evidence listed in braces includes the word "him." Copyists were more likely to add such a word than omit it. The omission of the phrase is probably due to a mistake of the eye, when copyists' eyes jumped from "him" to "their," which are spelled almost alike in Greek. "Council" precedes "their" in Greek.

Acts 23:30:

TEXT: "would be a plot against the man, I sent him to you at once, commanding"
EVIDENCE: p74 B Psi 614 cop(north)
TRANSLATIONS: ASV RSV NRSV ESV NASV NIV NEB REB TEV CSB
CERTAINTY: C

NOTES: "would be a plot against the man on their part, I sent him to you, commanding"
EVIDENCE: Aleph(א) A E 33 81 945 ("was going to be") 1739 2495 two lat vg syr(h)
TRANSLATIONS: ASVn

OTHER: "was going to be a plot against the man by the Jews, I sent him to you at once, commanding"
EVIDENCE: P 1241 Byz one lat syr(p) cop(south)

TRANSLATIONS: KJV NKJV CSBn
COMMENTS: There are six different variations here. Most of them are mixtures of the readings in the text and the notes. The words for "on their part" (literally, "out of them") and "at once" are spelled almost alike (only two letters' difference). The adverb "at once" was a less usual word which copyists would be likely to misread as a more common expression. "At once" actually is found before "I sent."

Acts 23:30:

TEXT: "before you [what they have] against him."
EVIDENCE: p74vid A B 33 one lat earlier vg cop
TRANSLATIONS: ASV RSV NRSV ESV NASV NIV NEB REB TEV CSB
CERTAINTY: C

NOTES: "before you [what they have] against him. Farewell."
EVIDENCE: Aleph(א) E P Psi 81 614 945 1241 1739 2495 Byz two lat later vg syr
TRANSLATIONS: KJV NKJV ASVn NRSVn NASVn NEBn CSBn

COMMENTS: The word "Farewell" is spelled two different ways in the manuscripts. It seems to have been added after the form of Acts 15:29, where no manuscript lacks it.

Acts 23:34:

TEXT: "And having read [the letter], he asked"
EVIDENCE: Aleph(א) A B E vg syr cop
TRANSLATIONS: ASV RSV NRSV ESV NASV NEB REB CSB
CERTAINTY: -

NOTES: "And when the governor had read [the letter], he asked"
EVIDENCE: H L P Byz
TRANSLATIONS: KJV NKJV NIV TEV CSBn

COMMENTS: Later copyists added the word "governor" to clarify the subject, as some English translations have also done. The text reading is supported by early manuscripts of multiple text types.

Acts 24:6-8:

TEXT: "but we seized him. By examining [him]"
EVIDENCE: p74 Aleph(א) A B P 81 1241 some Byz two lat earlier vg cop
TRANSLATIONS: ASV RSV NRSV ESV NASV73 NASV95n NASV2020 NIV NEB REB TEV CSB
CERTAINTY: D

NOTES: "but we seized him and we wished to judge [him] according to our law. But the colonel Lysias came and with great violence took [him] out of our hands, commanding his accusers to come before you. By examining [him]"
EVIDENCE: E Psi 33 614 945 1739 2495 some Byz most lat later vg syr
TRANSLATIONS: KJV NKJV ASVn RSVn NRSVn ESVn NASV73n NASV95 (in brackets) NASV2020n NIVn NEBn REBn TEVn CSBn

COMMENTS: The extra material seems to be a Western addition which has found its way into some of the Byzantine manuscripts. There seems to be no good reason for it to have been omitted if it were original.

Acts 24:15:

TEXT: "there is going to be a resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous"
EVIDENCE: p74 Aleph(א) A B C 33 81 945 1739 some lat vg cop
TRANSLATIONS: ASV RSV NRSV ESV NASV NIV NEB REB CSB
CERTAINTY: A

NOTES: "there is going to be a resurrection of [the] dead, of both the righteous and the unrighteous"
EVIDENCE: E P Psi 049 056 0142 614 1241 2495 Byz some lat syr(p,h)
TRANSLATIONS: KJV NKJV NRSVn TEV CSBn

COMMENTS: The word translated "of [the] dead" is a natural expansion. It is missing from the earliest manuscripts.

Acts 24:23:

TEXT: " and to prevent none of his own [companions] from attending to him"
EVIDENCE: p74 Aleph(א) A B C E Psi 33 81 945 1739 lat syr cop(north)
TRANSLATIONS: ASV RSV NRSV ESV NASV NIV NEB REB TEV CSB
CERTAINTY: -

NOTES: " and to prevent none of his own [companions] from attending to or visiting him"
EVIDENCE: L 614 1241 Byz cop(south)
TRANSLATIONS: KJV NKJV CSBn

COMMENTS: The text reading is supported by early manuscripts of multiple text types.

Acts 24:26:

TEXT: "At the same time also he hoped that money would be given him by Paul"
EVIDENCE: Aleph(א) A B C E Psi 33 81 945* 1739 lat syr
TRANSLATIONS: ASV RSV NRSV ESV NASV NIV NEB REB TEV CSB
CERTAINTY: -

NOTES: "At the same time also he hoped that money would be given him by Paul so that he might release him"
EVIDENCE: H L P 614 945c 1241 Byz cop
TRANSLATIONS: KJV NKJV CSBn

COMMENTS: The text reading is supported by early manuscripts of multiple text types.

Acts 25:16:

TEXT: "it is not the custom of the Romans to give up any man before the accused meets the accusers"
EVIDENCE: p74 Aleph(א) A B C E Psi 33 81 945 1739 vg cop(north)
TRANSLATIONS: ASV RSV NRSV ESV NASV NIV NEB REB TEV CSB
CERTAINTY: -

NOTES: "it is not the custom of the Romans to give up any man to destruction before the accused meets the accusers"
EVIDENCE: L 614 1241 Byz one lat syr cop(south)
TRANSLATIONS: KJV NKJV CSBn

COMMENTS: The text reading is supported by early manuscripts of multiple text types.

Acts 25:18:

TEXT: "they were bringing no charge about him of the evils which I was supposing"
EVIDENCE: (p74 Aleph(א) A) B (C) E (Psi 33vid) 81 (614 945 1739 2495)
TRANSLATIONS: ASV RSV NRSV ESV NASV NIV NEB REB TEV CSB
CERTAINTY: C

NOTES: "they were bringing no charge about him of which I was supposing"
EVIDENCE: L P 049 056 0142 1241 Byz Lect
TRANSLATIONS: KJV NKJV NRSVn

COMMENTS: Although the text reading has a number of forms of the word "evil," the word is omitted by later manuscripts. Its presence is supported by early manuscripts of multiple text types.

Acts 26:16:

TEXT: "the things in which you have seen me and"
EVIDENCE: B C*vid 614 945 1175 1739 2495 syr cop(south)
TRANSLATIONS: ASV RSV NRSV ESV NASV95n NASV2020 NIV84 TEV
CERTAINTY: C

NOTES: "the things in which you have seen and"
EVIDENCE: p74 Aleph(א) A C2 E P Psi 81 1241 Byz Lect lat vg cop(north)
TRANSLATIONS: KJV NKJV ASVn NRSVn NASV95 NIV2011 NEB REB TEVn CSB

COMMENTS: The word "me" is in brackets in the UBS text. Although it is possible that the word "me" was added under the influence of the following "I will appear," it is also possible that it was omitted to make the reference to visions more general.

Acts 26:28:

TEXT: "you are trying to persuade me to make [me] a Christian!"
EVIDENCE: p74 Aleph(א) A B 048 33 81 syr(pal) cop
TRANSLATIONS: ASV RSV NASV95n NASV2020 NEB REB TEV
CERTAINTY: B

NOTES: "you are trying to persuade me to become a Christian!"
EVIDENCE: E P Psi 614 945 1241 1739 2495 Byz lat vg syr
TRANSLATIONS: KJV NKJV NRSV ESV NASV95* NIV CSB

COMMENTS: The word "become" was apparently taken from verse 29 and used to replace "make" in order to smooth out the sentence structure.

Acts 27:16:

TEXT: "a certain small island called Cauda"
EVIDENCE: p74 Aleph(א)c B Psi two lat vg syr(p)
TRANSLATIONS: ASV RSV NRSV ESV NASV73n NASV2020 NIV NEB REB TEV CSB
CERTAINTY: B

NOTES: "a certain small island called Clauda"
EVIDENCE: Aleph(א)* Avid H L P 33 81 614 945 1241 1739 2495 Byz Lect one lat syr(h) cop
TRANSLATIONS: KJV NKJV ASVn RSVn NRSVn ESVn NASV95 CSBn

COMMENTS: The name of the modern island of Gaudos was in ancient times sometimes spelled with an "l" and sometimes without it. The various spellings of the manuscripts reflect the various ways the name was spelled.

Acts 27:37:

TEXT: "we were in all two hundred and seventy-six persons"
EVIDENCE: Aleph(א) C P Psi 33 81 614 945 1241 1739 2495 Byz Lect lat vg syr cop(north)
TRANSLATIONS: KJV NKJV ASV RSV NRSV ESV NASV NIV NEB REB TEV CSB
CERTAINTY: B

NOTES: "we were in all two hundred and seventy-five persons"
EVIDENCE: A one cop(south)
TRANSLATIONS: TEVn

NOTES: "we were in all about seventy-six persons"
EVIDENCE: B most cop(south)
TRANSLATIONS: RSVn NRSVn ESVn TEVn

NOTES: "we were in all seventy-six persons"
EVIDENCE: 522 one Lect
TRANSLATIONS: RSVn NRSVn ESVn

COMMENTS: When the numbers are written as cardinals instead of being spelled out, the difference is only one letter between the readings. Since Greek cardinal numbers are written using the letters of the Greek alphabet, it is possible to misread the number or part of the number as a word. This is apparently what happened in the reading "about 76." When the last letter of the word for "ship" (which is right before the number in the Greek) is seen twice, it combines with the cardinal number for 200 to spell "about."

Acts 27:39:

TEXT: "to bring the ship ashore."
EVIDENCE: Aleph(א) A Bc P Psi 33 81 614 945 1241 1739 2495 Byz Lect lat vg syr
TRANSLATIONS: KJV NKJV ASV RSV ESV NASV NIV NEB TEV
CERTAINTY: B

NOTES: "to bring the ship in safely."
EVIDENCE: B* C cop
TRANSLATIONS: ASVn NASV73n

COMMENTS: The words "bring ashore" and "bring in safely" sound alike in Greek. The difference is between "x" and "ks." The reading "bring in safely" is apparently due to a mistake of the ear.

Acts 28:1:

TEXT: "the island was called Malta." (Greek, "Melitē")
EVIDENCE: p74 Aleph(א) A B3 C P Psi 33 81 614 945 1241 1739 2495 Byz Lect later vg syr(p) cop(south)
TRANSLATIONS: KJV NKJV ASV RSV NRSV ESV NASV NIV NEB REB TEV CSB
CERTAINTY: B

NOTES: "the island was called Melitēnē."
EVIDENCE: B* two lat earlier vg syr(h) cop(north)
TRANSLATIONS: ASVn NASV73n

OTHER: "the island was called Mutilēnē."
EVIDENCE: three lat

COMMENTS: The reading Melitēnē probably arose through a mistake of the eye, when the first two letters of the following word "island" were seen twice.

Acts 28:13:

TEXT: "Casting off from there we arrived"
EVIDENCE: Aleph(א)* B Psi cop
TRANSLATIONS: ASVn NRSV NASV73n NIV TEV CSBn
CERTAINTY: D

NOTES: "From there we made an indirect course and arrived"
EVIDENCE: p74 Aleph(א)c A P 048 066 81 614 945 1241 1739 2495 Byz Lect syr
TRANSLATIONS: KJV NKJV ASV RSV ESV NASV NEB REB CSB

COMMENTS: The difference between the two readings is only that of one letter. Although it is possible that the letter "theta" was accidently omitted thus producing the text reading, it is more likely that copyists changed the text reading because it is a rare technical nautical term.

Acts 28:16:

TEXT: "into Rome, Paul was permitted"
EVIDENCE: p74vid Aleph(א) A B Psi 048vid 066 81 1175 1739 2495 one lat most vg syr(p,h) cop(north)
TRANSLATIONS: ASV RSV NRSV ESV NASV NIV NEB REB TEV CSB
CERTAINTY: B

NOTES: "into Rome, the centurion delivered the prisoners to the commander, but Paul was permitted"
EVIDENCE: P 614 945 1241 1739 Byz Lect two lat some vg syr(h+) cop(south)
TRANSLATIONS: KJV NKJV ASVn CSBn

COMMENTS: The longer text seems to be an expansion by Western copyists that has found its way into the Byzantine text.

Acts 28:25:

TEXT: "Well did the Holy Spirit speak through Isaiah the prophet to plyour fathers"
EVIDENCE: p74 Aleph(א) A B Psi 049 056 0142 33 81 945 1739 some Lect two lat syr(p) most cop
TRANSLATIONS: ASV RSV NRSV ESV NASV NIV NEB REB TEV CSB
CERTAINTY: B

NOTES: "Well did the Holy Spirit speak through Isaiah the prophet to our fathers"
EVIDENCE: P 614 1241 2495 Byz most Lect one lat vg few cop
TRANSLATIONS: KJV NKJV CSBn

COMMENTS: The words "our" and "plyour" in Greek came to be pronounced alike, thus leading to confusion on the part of copyists. The text reading is supported by the earliest manuscripts.

Acts 28:29:

TEXT: omit verse 29
EVIDENCE: p74 Aleph(א) A B E Psi 048 33 81 1739 two lat earlier vg syr(p,h) cop
TRANSLATIONS: ASV RSV NRSV ESV NASV73 NASV95n NASV2020 NIV NEB REB TEV CSB
CERTAINTY: B

NOTES: include verse 29: "And when he had said these words, the Jews departed, holding much debate among themselves."
EVIDENCE: P 614 945 1241 2495 Byz Lect most lat later vg syr(h+)
TRANSLATIONS: KJV NKJV ASVn RSVn NRSVn ESVn NASV73n NASV95 (in brackets) NASV2020n NIVn NEBn REBn TEVn CSBn

COMMENTS: Verse 29 seems to be an expansion by Western copyists that has found its way into the Byzantine text. It was probably added because of the abrupt transition from verse 28 to verse 30.


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