Luke 24:53

Luke 24:53 euvlogou/ntej {B}

The readings aivnou/ntej kai. euvlogou/ntej (A C² K W X D Q Y ¦¹ ¦¹³ 33) and euvlogou/ntej kai. aivnou/ntej (eth) are undoubtedly conflations, arising from combinations of euvlogou/ntej (î⁷⁵ a B C* L syr^{s, pal} cop^{sa, bo} geo) and aivnou/ntej (D it^{a, b, d, e, ff2, l, r1} Augustine). It is more difficult to decide between the two earlier readings. On the one hand, since euvlogei/n is a favorite word with Luke (it occurs twelve other times in the Third Gospel, whereas aivnei/n occurs in only three other passages), one can argue that it was probably original here. On the other hand, since in patristic Greek euvlogei/n comes to be a distinctively Christian term used in praising God (in contrast with the pagan usage of aivnei/n), copyists would have tended to replace instances of the latter verb with the former. Considerations relating to the context are similarly indecisive. It can be argued that the presence of euvlogei/n in verses Luke 24:50 and Luke 24:51 prompted copyists to introduce the same verb in ver. Luke 24:53; or, thinking it more appropriate that the activity of the disciples should be differentiated from that of their risen Lord, out of reverence copyists may have altered euvlogou/ntej to aivnou/ntej. Faced with these conflicting considerations, a majority of the Committee preferred to make a decision on the basis of external attestation, and therefore chose euvlogou/ntej, supported as it is by early and diversified witnesses.