[Greek: Epi to auto de Petros kai Ioannes k.t.l.] So the Harkleian and Bede.

So Codex E.
The four oldest of the six available uncials conspire however in representing the words which immediately precede in the following unintelligible fashion:--[Greek: ho de Kyrios prosetithei tous sozomenous kath' hemeran epi to auto.

Petros de k.t.l.] How is it to be thought that this strange and vapid presentment of the passage had its beginning?
It results, I answer, from the ecclesiastical practice of beginning a fresh lection at the name of 'Peter,' prefaced by the usual formula 'In those days.' It is accordingly usual to find the liturgical word [Greek: arche]--indicative of the beginning of a lection,--thrust in between [Greek: epi to auto de] and [Greek: Petros].

At a yet earlier period I suppose some more effectual severance of the text was made in that place, which unhappily misled some early scribe[165].

And so it came to pass that in the first instance the place stood thus: [Greek: ho de Kyrios prosetithei tous sozomenous kath' hemeran te ekklesia epi to auto],--which was plainly intolerable.
What I am saying will commend itself to any unprejudiced reader when it has been stated that Cod.