Subject: Acts 2:41

From: "Mr. Helge Evensen" <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 02 May 1997 00:09:33 -0700

In Acts 2:40 Peter says:
"Save yourselves from this untoward generation" (KJV) (especially if Peter used the 
KJV!)

This was a kind of invitation brought forth by Peter after he had preached for a while.
The response of the people was enormous!

Verse 41a states: "Then they that gladly received his word were baptized" (KJV). The 
adv. *gladly* (ASMENWS) is omitted in p74 Aleph A B C 81. 1175. 1739, and therefore also 
in N/A26-27. It is retained by E Psi Byz and the two Syriac (p & h). (This is according 
to N/A26).

My Norwegian Bible runs something like this: "They who now received his word with joy, 
were baptized".

It seems to me that the expression "gladly" or "with joy" (or "readily") could be 
regarded as "the more difficult reading" in this context. The Byz reading clearly *may* 
be interpreted (by some scribe) to be "harder" because it suggests (to him) that one has 
to receive the word *gladly* or *with joy* in order to be baptized, while he knows from 
other NT passages that receiving _alone_ is sufficient for being allowed baptism. If he 
chose to follow a text that omits ASMENWS the supposed theological problem is eliminated 
(in his mind). Of course, I know that the scribe´s understanding of the word ASMENWS 
comes into play here. (That part I have not investigated).

I´m not saying, of course, that this is a necessary conclusion. But it seems at least 
*possible*. Can this possibility be ruled out??

Any comments about this one?

-- 
- Mr. Helge Evensen