Uncial Codex B

| Codex B: hover over the image to enlarge the papyrus text | download HERE |

Codex Vaticanus -4th century.

In the Vatican Library at Rome.

It contains the whole Bible, written in the fourth century, and is (apart from the papyri) the oldest and generally the best extant copy of the Septuagint.

This folio contains Acts 2.14-38. Acts 2 is Luke's record of what happened in Jerusalem, when the day of Pentecost had come, and "they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound came from heaven like the rush of a mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them tongues as of fire, distributed and resting on each one of them." They began to tell "the might works of the Lord" in languages that were understood by visitors from all over world.

This folio begins when Peter began to answer the scoffers. He explained the meaning of the events of that Passover, and how it had led to what they were now witnessing.

He began by reminding them of a passage from the prophet Joel. The first passage of the folio with chevrons in the left margin, Acts 2.17-20. The chevrons highlights (OT) scripture passages!
What stands out on this page is the number of chevroned lines! Notice Peter's use of scriptures that they, "both Jews and Proselytes", already knew, mostly in the international language of their time. Vaticanus is set out in 3 columns of 42 lines = 126 lines. In his speech, out of 116 lines, 51 are from the prophet Joel, and prophetic words of the psalms.

ΑΛΛΑ ΤΟΥΤΟ Ε|ΣΤΙΝ ΤΟ ΕΙΡΗΜΕΝΟΝ ΔΙ|Α ΤΟΥ ΠΡΟΦΗΤΟΥ ΙΩΗΛ
[literally] But this is the-thing having-been-spoken by the prophet Joel.

> ΚΑΙ ΕΣΤΑΙ ΜΕΤΑ ΤΑΥΤΑ | > ΛΕΓΕΙ Ο ΘΣ ΕΚΧΕΩ ΑΠΟ ΤΟΥ | > ΠΝΕΥΜΑΤΟΣ ΜΟΥ ΕΠΙ ΠΑΣΑΝ ΣΑΡΚΑ ΚΑΙ ΠΡΟΦΗ| > ΤΕΥΣΟΥΣΙΝ ΟΙ ΥΙΟΙ ΫΜΩ^- | ... | > ΚΑΙ ΕΣΤΑΙ ΠΑΣ ΟΣ ΕΑΝ Ε| > ΠΙΚΑΛΕΣΗΤΑΙ ΤΟ ΟΝΟΜ^Α | > ΚΥ ΣΩΘΗΣΕΤΑΙ
[Literally] And it-will-be after this, says the Lord, I-will-pour-out from the spirit of-me on all flesh, and will-prophesy the sons-of-you ... and it-will-be-[that] everyone whoever calls-upon the name of-[the]-Lord will-be-saved.

What Peter told them had its effect on his listeners. "Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, 'Brethren, what shall we do?' And Peter said to them, "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." (verse 38 at the end of the folio!)

HERE is the whole of Acts chapter 2.
And HERE is the passage in its original context in Joel (compare the Hebrew with the Greek).

Codex Vaticanus description HERE.
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