Acts 19: 12 επι τους ασθενουντας επιφερεσθαι

[Stirling Bartholomew]

It seems like επι τους ασθενουντας επιφερεσθαι implies that the articles were put into physical contact with the person to be healed. Why doesn't this appear in the translations based on the Byzantine text form? Tyndale, KJV "brought unto the sick" NKJV "to the sick." I checked Danker 3rd Ed. who appeared to allow for both meanings. It looks to me like the scenario requires physical contact with Paul followed up by physical contact with the person to be healed. ἐπιτίθημι would have been a better word to nail this down which is why I am only suggesting this is an implication. Perhaps the the accusative case weighs against this inference επι τους ασθενουντας.

Not interested in the question of what is the original reading. Rather what does the the reading found in Bezae and Byzantine text mean?

Bezae Acts (Cambridge)[1] 19:12
ωστε και επι τους ασθενουντας
επιφερεσθαι απο του χρωτος αυτου
σουδαρια η και σιμικινθια
και απαλλασσεσθαι απ αυτων τας νοσους
τα τε πνα τα πονηρα εκπορευεσθαι

Robinson-Pierpont 2005 Acts 19:12
ωστε και επι τους ασθενουντας
επιφερεσθαι απο του χρωτος αυτου
σουδαρια η σιμικινθια
και απαλλασσεσθαι απ αυτων τας νοσους
τα τε πνευματα τα πονηρα εξερχεσθαι απ αυτων

[1] http://epapers.bham.ac.uk/1663/1/Bezae% ... xml#B02K16

[Pat Ferguson]

ΑΠΟΦΕΡΕΣΘΑΙ (αποφερεσθαι) appears in some mss (P38 P74 01 02 03 08 33 323 945 1175 1241 1739; cp. N-A²⁸), and EPIΦΕΡΕΣΘΑΙ (επιφερεσθαι) appears in other source documents (05 18 020 044 424 614 1505).

Also, αποφερεσθαι appears in the translations of Alford, Lachmann, Tischendorf, and Tregelles at Acts 19:12. But επιφερεσθαι is seen in TR, and in the works of Griesbach and Scholz. Both words are pres. inf. pass. according to Moulton, Analytical Greek Lexicon-Revised (Bagster & Sons, London 1977; Zondervan, Grand Rapids 1978).

Personally, I read Acts 19:12 to say something like: so that even handkerchiefs or aprons from his skin were brought [and applied]* to those who were sick.
_________________________
* Cp. Moulton, et al.

[Stirling Bartholomew]

ΑΠΟΦΕΡΕΣΘΑΙ (αποφερεσθαι) appears in some mss (P38 P74 01 02 03 08 33 323 945 1175 1241 1739; cp. N-A²⁸), and EPIΦΕΡΕΣΘΑΙ (επιφερεσθαι) appears in other source documents (05 18 020 044 424 614 1505).

Also, αποφερεσθαι appears in the translations of Alford, Lachmann, Tischendorf, and Tregelles at Acts 19:12. But επιφερεσθαι is seen in TR, and in the works of Griesbach and Scholz. Both words are pres. inf. pass. according to Moulton, Analytical Greek Lexicon-Revised (Bagster & Sons, London 1977; Zondervan, Grand Rapids 1978).

Personally, I read Acts 19:12 to say something like: so that even handkerchiefs or aprons from his skin were brought [and applied]* to those who were sick.
_________________________
* Cp. Moulton, et al.

Hi Pat,

I assume by "translations of Alford, Lachmann, Tischendorf, and Tregelles" you are referring to their edited critical texts of the NT.

Looks like the New Living Translation is in agreement with my reading ot the text in Bezae. I am sure they didn't use Bezae as their vorlage. The idea being a transfer of some object which made physical contact with the miracle worker to physical contact with the person needing the miracle.

Acts 19:12 NLT When handkerchiefs or aprons that had merely touched his skin were placed on sick people, they were healed of their diseases, and evil spirits were expelled. Source: BibleGateway

It seems to me this is the plain meaning of the text, not a fanciful extrapolation.