Jump To ECM Entry Online Commentary Introduction
GC: There are two Greek witnesses (01* 02) for b against the remaining tradition.[1]
TP: The construction of μαρτυρέω with ἐπί is unusual, plain dative prevails in the entire Greek literature.[2] According to Ropes (130), the construction is “so unusual” that it should be adopted as original.[3] However, the presence of ἐπί here can be sufficiently explained as an accidental parallelisation with the preceding ἐπί + dat. (words 14-18),[4] or as a conscious attempt to separate the last of three datives following each other to get a clearer syntactical structure.
[1] The Peshitta is an uncertain witness here because the repetition of the preposition may be due to intra-versional reasons. (See Suppl. Vol. p. 252).
[2] Hebr 11:4 is a rare exception, and there the phrase, ἐπὶ τοῖς δώροις αὐτοῦ, parallels Gen 4:4 LXX regardless of the resulting poor construction.
[3] Ropes conjectures that a possible “Aramaic original” is the source of this expression (see Bgs. pt. I vol. II, p. 121ff. for his discussion of possible Aramaic sources for Acts). This is, however, not the most obvious explanation for a slightly extraordinary Greek construction. According to Metzger (372), the NA/GNT committee regarded this as a strong argument for placing ἐπί in the text, albeit in square brackets. Pervo (350) cites Ropes with approval.