Acts 27:37

37 There were 276 of us on board.

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 After Paul said this, he took some bread and gave thanks to God. He did this where they all could see him. Then he broke it and began to eat.

36 All of them were filled with hope. So they ate some food.

37 There were 276 of us on board.

38 They ate as much as they wanted. They needed to make the ship lighter. So they threw the rest of the grain into the sea.

39 When daylight came, they saw a bay with a sandy beach. They didn't recognize the place. But they decided to run the ship onto the beach if they could.