Welcome and thank you for taking a bible break to test your knowledge of God's word.
This week's question:

When Paul was at Miletus, he sent for the elders of Ephesus, "And when they had come to him, he said to them, "You yourselves know, from the first day that I set foot in Asia, how I was with you the whole time, serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with trials which came upon me through the plots of the Jews; how I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you publicly from house to house, solemnly testifying to both Jews and Greeks of repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. And now, behold, bound in the spirit, I am on my way to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there, except that the Holy Spirit solemnly testifies to me in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions await me." (Acts 20:18-23)

When Paul sailed to Tyre, the disciples there warned Paul, by the Spirit, not to go to Jerusalem (Acts 21:3-4). Then they traveled to Caesarea and the prophet Agabus came down from Judea, "And coming to us, he took Paul's belt and bound his own feet and hands, and said, "This is what the Holy Spirit says: 'In this way the Jews at Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.'" And when we had heard this we as well as the local residents began begging him not to go up to Jerusalem. Then Paul answered, "What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but even to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus." And since he would not be persuaded, we fell silent, remarking, "The will of the Lord be done!" (Acts 21:11-14)  

When Paul arrived at Jerusalem, some the received him gladly (Acts 21:17). While others were not so thrilled, charging that he had defiled the temple and Roman soldiers arrested Paul, which prevented the Jews from killing him (Acts 21:27-33). Later a conspiracy is formed by some Jews to kill Paul, "And when it was day, the Jews formed a conspiracy and bound themselves under an oath, saying they would neither eat nor drink until they had killed Paul. And there were more than forty who formed this plot." (Acts 23:12-13). The son of Paul's sister overhears the plot and reports it to Paul in the barracks, who then tells the commander, who then tells the centurion to take Paul by night to Felix the governor (Acts 23:16-24). Two years later Festus replaces Felix as Governor and Paul appeals to Caesar (Acts 24:27 & 25:11).

This brings us to our question, "How many persons were shipwrecked with Paul?". When Paul begins the journey to Rome, they sail with difficulty to a place called Fair Havens, "And when considerable time had passed and the voyage was now dangerous, since even the fast was already over, Paul began to admonish them, and said to them, "Men, I perceive that the voyage will certainly be attended with damage and great loss, not only of the cargo and the ship, but also of our lives." But the centurion was more persuaded by the pilot and the captain of the ship, than by what was being said by Paul." (Acts 27:9-11)

Then when a favorable wind came up, they hoisted anchor and sailed again only to travel into a violent wind called Euraquilo and ended up jettisoning the cargo as well as the ship's tackle as the men began to loose all hope of surviving (Acts 27:13-20). "But Paul stood and said, "Men, you ought to have followed my advice and not to have set sail from Crete, and incurred this damage and loss. And yet I now urge you to keep your courage, for there shall be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship." (Acts 27:21-22).

So then, for the answer to our question we turn and read, "And all of us in the ship were two hundred and seventy-six persons. And when they had eaten enough, they began to lighten the ship by throwing out the wheat into the sea." (Acts 27:37-38). So there we have the answer to our question as there were two hundred seventy six persons including Paul!

But our story does not end there as they struck the reef, "And the soldiers plan was to kill the prisoners, that none of them should swim away and escape; but the centurion, wanting to bring Paul safely through, kept them from their intention, and commanded that those who could swim would jump overboard first and get to land, and the rest should follow, some on planks, and others on various things from the ship. And thus it happened that they were all brought safely to land." (Acts 27:42-44).

Just as these men were brought safely to land as the angel told Paul they would (Acts 27:23), may we put our trust in Him and do His will for life eternal as He has promised us (1 Corinthians 1:9-10 & 1 John 2:25)!