Acts 27:37

37 (We were in all 276[a]1persons in the ship.)

Acts 27:37 Meaning and Commentary

Acts 27:37

And we were in all in the ship
Reckoning the master and owner of the ship, and the centurion and the soldiers, and the apostle and his company, with whatsoever passengers there might be:

two hundred and threescore and sixteen souls;
the Alexandrian copy reads, "two hundred seventy and five"; and the Ethiopic version, "two hundred and six". This account of the number is given to show, that the historian, who was one of them, had an exact knowledge of all in the ship; and this being recorded before the account of the shipwreck, may serve to make the truth of the relation the more to be believed that none of them perished, since their number was so precisely known; and makes it the more marvellous, that such a number of men should be saved, and in a shipwreck; and shows, that there must be a wonderful interposition of divine power to bring them all safe to land.

Acts 27:37 In-Context

35 And when he had said these things, he took bread, and giving thanks to God in the presence of all he broke it and began to eat.
36 Then they all were encouraged and ate some food themselves.
37 (We were in all 276persons in the ship.)
38 And when they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship, throwing out the wheat into the sea.
39 Now when it was day, they did not recognize the land, but they noticed a bay with a beach, on which they planned if possible to run the ship ashore.

Cross References 1

  • 1. Acts 2:41; Acts 7:14; Romans 13:1; 1 Peter 3:20

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. Some manuscripts seventy-six, or about seventy-six
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.