It has long been suspected that Acts 15-28 is based at least in part on some source text. The first-person "we passages" are often pointed to as potentially being based on a literary source (I think there is reason to believe this is true). The first-person portion of Acts consist of 16:10-16:18, 20:4-20:16, 21:1-21:19, 27:1-28:30.
I find many reasons in the text to conclude that the we passages do come from an underlying source, but I also have trouble accepting this for one of the same reasons I have problems with Q, which is that as far as I know, there is no evidence that anyone ever made reference to such a narrative about Paul.
If Acts was written as late as I think it was, in the mid second century, then it means the writer of Acts would had to have had access to the narrative about Paul in the mid second century. But as far as I know, no one else mentions such a narrative. Are there any indications that such a narrative existed?
I suppose one could mention 1 Clement as a possible witness to such a narrative, but not a very good one. Is there anything else to indicate the existence of a written document purporting to tell the story of Paul's ministry, trial in Jerusalem, and travel to Rome prior to Acts of the Apostles?
Any evidence of a source text for Acts?
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Charles Wilson
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Re: Any evidence of a source text for Acts?
Tacitus.
Suetonius.
Josephus.
Follow the 12th Legion and Mucianus. Syrtis.
Tacitus, Histories Book 3:
"...A sudden outbreak had been excited in Pontus by a barbarian slave, who had before commanded the royal fleet. This was Anicetus, a freedman of Polemon, once a very powerful personage, who, when the kingdom was converted into a Roman province, ill brooked the change. Accordingly he raised in the name of Vitellius the tribes that border on Pontus, bribed a number of very needy adventurers by the hope of plunder, and, at the head of a force by no means contemptible, made a sudden attack on the old and famous city of Trapezus, founded by the Greeks on the farthest shore of the Pontus. There he destroyed a cohort, once a part of the royal contingent. They had afterwards received the privileges of citizenship, and while they carried their arms and banners in Roman fashion, they still retained the indolence and licence of the Greek. Anicetus also set fire to the fleet, and, as the sea was not guarded, escaped, for Mucianus had brought up to Byzantium the best of the Liburnian ships and all the troops. The barbarians even insolently scoured the sea in hastily constructed vessels of their own called "camarae," built with narrow sides and broad bottoms, and joined together without fastenings of brass or iron. Whenever the water is rough they raise the bulwarks with additional planks according to the increasing height of the waves, till the vessel is covered in like a house. Thus they roll about amid the billows, and, as they have a prow at both extremities alike and a convertible arrangement of oars, they may be paddled in one direction or another indifferently and without risk..."
See Aeneas. He's been paralyzed for 8 years. What happened to the 12th Legion around 62?
Look at Annals.
'N so on. Most of Acts is built around these stories.
Acts 5:
[1] But a man named Anani'as with his wife Sapphi'ra sold a piece of property,
[2] and with his wife's knowledge he kept back some of the proceeds, and brought only a part and laid it at the apostles' feet.
[3] But Peter said, "Anani'as, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back part of the proceeds of the land?
[4] While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? How is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God."
[5] When Anani'as heard these words, he fell down and died. And great fear came upon all who heard of it.
[6] The young men rose and wrapped him up and carried him out and buried him.
[7] After an interval of about three hours his wife came in, not knowing what had happened.
[8] And Peter said to her, "Tell me whether you sold the land for so much." And she said, "Yes, for so much."
[9] But Peter said to her, "How is it that you have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? Hark, the feet of those that have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out."
[10] Immediately she fell down at his feet and died. When the young men came in they found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her beside her husband.
"Hark, the feet of those that have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out."
Who is this character?
That would be Messalina, wife of Claudius. You can look up her death at the feet of her mother...
Some Joke, huh?
CW
{Edit Note:
Tacitus, Annals 11, 37 - 38, in part:
"37 ...Hurrying to the Gardens in advance of the rest, he discovered Messalina prone on the ground, and, seated by her side, her mother Lepida; who, estranged from her daughter during her prime, had been conquered to pity in her last necessity, and was now advising her not to await the slayer:— "Life was over and done; and all that could be attempted was decency in death." But honour had no place in that lust-corrupted soul, and tears and lamentations were being prolonged in vain, when the door was driven in by the onrush of the new-comers, and over her stood the tribune in silence, and the freedman upbraiding her with a stream of slavish insults.
38 1 Now for the first time she saw her situation as it was, and took hold of the steel. In her agitation, she was applying it without result to her throat and again to her breast, when the tribune ran her through. The corpse was granted to her mother; and word was carried to Claudius at the table that Messalina had perished: whether by her own or a strange hand was not specified. Nor was the question asked..."]
Suetonius.
Josephus.
Follow the 12th Legion and Mucianus. Syrtis.
Tacitus, Histories Book 3:
"...A sudden outbreak had been excited in Pontus by a barbarian slave, who had before commanded the royal fleet. This was Anicetus, a freedman of Polemon, once a very powerful personage, who, when the kingdom was converted into a Roman province, ill brooked the change. Accordingly he raised in the name of Vitellius the tribes that border on Pontus, bribed a number of very needy adventurers by the hope of plunder, and, at the head of a force by no means contemptible, made a sudden attack on the old and famous city of Trapezus, founded by the Greeks on the farthest shore of the Pontus. There he destroyed a cohort, once a part of the royal contingent. They had afterwards received the privileges of citizenship, and while they carried their arms and banners in Roman fashion, they still retained the indolence and licence of the Greek. Anicetus also set fire to the fleet, and, as the sea was not guarded, escaped, for Mucianus had brought up to Byzantium the best of the Liburnian ships and all the troops. The barbarians even insolently scoured the sea in hastily constructed vessels of their own called "camarae," built with narrow sides and broad bottoms, and joined together without fastenings of brass or iron. Whenever the water is rough they raise the bulwarks with additional planks according to the increasing height of the waves, till the vessel is covered in like a house. Thus they roll about amid the billows, and, as they have a prow at both extremities alike and a convertible arrangement of oars, they may be paddled in one direction or another indifferently and without risk..."
See Aeneas. He's been paralyzed for 8 years. What happened to the 12th Legion around 62?
Look at Annals.
'N so on. Most of Acts is built around these stories.
Acts 5:
[1] But a man named Anani'as with his wife Sapphi'ra sold a piece of property,
[2] and with his wife's knowledge he kept back some of the proceeds, and brought only a part and laid it at the apostles' feet.
[3] But Peter said, "Anani'as, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back part of the proceeds of the land?
[4] While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? How is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God."
[5] When Anani'as heard these words, he fell down and died. And great fear came upon all who heard of it.
[6] The young men rose and wrapped him up and carried him out and buried him.
[7] After an interval of about three hours his wife came in, not knowing what had happened.
[8] And Peter said to her, "Tell me whether you sold the land for so much." And she said, "Yes, for so much."
[9] But Peter said to her, "How is it that you have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? Hark, the feet of those that have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out."
[10] Immediately she fell down at his feet and died. When the young men came in they found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her beside her husband.
"Hark, the feet of those that have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out."
Who is this character?
That would be Messalina, wife of Claudius. You can look up her death at the feet of her mother...
Some Joke, huh?
CW
{Edit Note:
Tacitus, Annals 11, 37 - 38, in part:
"37 ...Hurrying to the Gardens in advance of the rest, he discovered Messalina prone on the ground, and, seated by her side, her mother Lepida; who, estranged from her daughter during her prime, had been conquered to pity in her last necessity, and was now advising her not to await the slayer:— "Life was over and done; and all that could be attempted was decency in death." But honour had no place in that lust-corrupted soul, and tears and lamentations were being prolonged in vain, when the door was driven in by the onrush of the new-comers, and over her stood the tribune in silence, and the freedman upbraiding her with a stream of slavish insults.
38 1 Now for the first time she saw her situation as it was, and took hold of the steel. In her agitation, she was applying it without result to her throat and again to her breast, when the tribune ran her through. The corpse was granted to her mother; and word was carried to Claudius at the table that Messalina had perished: whether by her own or a strange hand was not specified. Nor was the question asked..."]
Re: Any evidence of a source text for Acts?
What I meant was a source narrative about Paul, such as the proposed travel log that many believe underlies the "we passages".
But these are interesting as well. But yeah, I'm looking for anything that might indicate there was some narrative about Paul prior to Acts of the Apostles.
But these are interesting as well. But yeah, I'm looking for anything that might indicate there was some narrative about Paul prior to Acts of the Apostles.