Acts 27:37

37 There were 276 of us, crew and passengers, all told.

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 Having said this he took some bread, and, after giving thanks to God for it before them all, he broke it in pieces and began to eat it.

36 This raised the spirits of all, and they too took food.

37 There were 276 of us, crew and passengers, all told.

38 After eating a hearty meal they lightened the ship by throwing the wheat overboard.

39 When daylight came, they tried in vain to recognise the coast. But an inlet with a sandy beach attracted their attention, and now their object was, if possible, to run the ship aground in this inlet.