Acts 27:37

37 In all, there were 276 ^[a] 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 he had said this, Paul took bread and gave thanks to God in front of them all. Then he broke it and began to eat.

36 They were all encouraged and took some food themselves.

37 In all, there were 276 of us on board.

38 After the men had eaten their fill, they lightened the ship by throwing the grain into the sea.

39 When daylight came, they did not recognize the land, but they sighted a bay with a sandy beach, where they decided to run the ship aground if they could.

Footnotes

• [a]. WH 76