22 Bible Verses about Religious Awakenings

And seeing it, all the people fell on their faces, and they said, The LORD, he is the God; the LORD, he is the God.

Nevertheless, some men of Asher and Manasseh and of Zebulun humbled themselves and came to Jerusalem.

Now as Ezra prayed and confessed, weeping and casting himself down before the house of God, there assembled unto him out of Israel a very great congregation of men and women and children; and the people wept very sore.

And the people asked him, saying, What shall we do then?

And many of the Samaritans of that city believed in him by the word of the woman, who testified, He told me all that I have done.

So that those who gladly received his word were baptized, and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.

And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spoke, hearing and seeing the signs which he did.

And all that dwelt at Lydda and Saron saw him and turned to the Lord.

And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number believed and turned unto the Lord.

And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord, and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.

And Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his house; and many of the Corinthians, hearing, believed and were baptized.

And many that believed came, confessing and declaring their deeds.

And Samuel said, Gather all Israel in Mizpeh, and I will pray for you unto the LORD.

And they gathered together in Mizpeh and drew water and poured it out before the LORD and fasted on that day and said there, We have sinned against the LORD. And Samuel judged the sons of Israel in Mizpeh.

And Elijah came near unto all the people and said, How long shall ye halt between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him. And the people did not answer him a word. Then Elijah spoke again unto the people, I, even I only, remain a prophet of the LORD; but Baal's prophets are four hundred and fifty men. Give us, therefore, two bullocks, and let them choose one bullock for themselves and cut it in pieces and lay it on wood and put no fire under it; and I will dress the other bullock and lay it on wood and put no fire under it.read more.
And invoke ye in the name of your gods, and I will invoke in the name of the LORD; and it shall be that the God that answers by fire is God. And all the people answered and said, It is well spoken. So Elijah said unto the prophets of Baal, Choose you one bullock for yourselves and dress it first, for ye are many, and invoke in the name of your gods, but put no fire under it. And they took the bullock which was given them, and they dressed it and invoked in the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, O Baal, answer us. But there was no voice nor anyone that answered. And they jumped up and down near the altar which they had made. And it came to pass at noon that Elijah mocked them and said, Cry aloud, for he is a god; peradventure he is talking or he had to go to the latrine, or he is on a journey, or he sleeps and will awake. And they cried aloud and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets until the blood gushed out upon them. And when midday was past, even so they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, and there was neither voice nor anyone that answered nor anyone that heard. Then Elijah said unto all the people, Come near unto me. And all the people came near unto him. And he repaired the altar of the LORD that was broken down. And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, unto whom the word of the LORD came, saying, Israel shall be thy name; and with the stones he built an altar in the name of the LORD; then he made a trench round about the altar, as great as would contain two measures of seed. And he put the wood in order and cut the bullock in pieces and laid it on the wood and said, Fill four pitchers with water and pour it on the burnt sacrifice and on the wood. And he said, Do it the second time, and they did it the second time. And he said, Do it the third time, and they did it the third time. So that the water ran round about the altar, and he had filled the trench also with water. And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near and said, LORD God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel and that I am thy slave and that I have done all these things at thy word. Answer me, O LORD, answer me, that this people may know that thou art the LORD God and that thou shalt convert their heart back again to thee. Then fire of the LORD fell, which consumed the burnt sacrifice and the wood and the stones and the dust and licked up the water that was in the trench. And seeing it, all the people fell on their faces, and they said, The LORD, he is the God; the LORD, he is the God. And Elijah said unto them, Seize the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape. And they seized them; and Elijah took them down to the brook Kishon and slew them there.

And Hezekiah sent to all Israel and Judah, and wrote letters also to Ephraim and Manasseh, that they should come to the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, to keep the passover unto the LORD God of Israel. For the king had taken counsel with his princes and with all the congregation in Jerusalem, to keep the passover in the second month. For they could not keep it at that time, because there were not enough priests sanctified, neither had the people gathered themselves together to Jerusalem.read more.
And the thing pleased the king and all the congregation. So they established a decree to make proclamation throughout all Israel, from Beersheba even to Dan, that they should come to keep the passover unto the LORD God of Israel at Jerusalem because for a long time they had not done it as it is written. So the posts went with the letters from the hand of the king and his princes throughout all Israel and Judah, and according to the commandment of the king, saying, Ye sons of Israel, return unto the LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, and he will return to the remnant of you, that are escaped out of the hand of the kings of Assyria. Do not be like your fathers, and like your brethren, who rebelled against the LORD God of their fathers and he gave them over to desolation, as ye see. Therefore, do not be stiffnecked as your fathers were, but yield yourselves unto the LORD and enter into his sanctuary, which he has sanctified for ever and serve the LORD your God, that the fierceness of his wrath may turn away from you. For if ye return unto the LORD, your brethren and your children shall find mercy before those that lead them captive, so that they shall come again into this land, for the LORD your God is gracious and merciful and will not turn away his face from you if ye return unto him. So the posts passed from city to city through the land of Ephraim and Manasseh even unto Zebulun, but they laughed them to scorn and mocked them. Nevertheless, some men of Asher and Manasseh and of Zebulun humbled themselves and came to Jerusalem. Also in Judah the hand of God was to give them one heart to do the commandment of the king and of the princes, according to the word of the LORD. And many people assembled at Jerusalem to keep the feast of unleavened bread in the second month, a very great congregation. And they arose and took away the altars that were in Jerusalem, and they also took away all the altars for incense and cast them into the brook Kidron. Then they killed the passover on the fourteenth day of the second month, and the priests and the Levites sanctified themselves with shame and brought in the burnt offerings into the house of the LORD. And they put themselves in order according to the ordinance, according to the law of Moses, the man of God; the priests sprinkled the blood, which they received of the hands of the Levites. For there were yet many in the congregation that were not sanctified; therefore, the Levites had the charge of the killing of the passovers for each one that was not clean, to sanctify them unto the LORD. For a multitude of the people, even many of Ephraim and Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun, had not cleansed themselves, and they ate the passover not as it was written. But Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, The good LORD pardon each one that has prepared his heart to seek God, the LORD God of his fathers, even though he is not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary. And the LORD hearkened to Hezekiah and healed the people. Thus, the sons of Israel that were present at Jerusalem kept the solemnity of unleavened bread seven days with great gladness, and the Levites and the priests praised the LORD, day by day, with instruments of strength unto the LORD. And Hezekiah spoke unto the heart of all the Levites that had good understanding to serve the LORD, and they ate the sacrifices of the feast for seven days, offering sacrifices of peace and giving thanks unto the LORD God of their fathers. And the whole assembly took counsel to keep another seven days, and they kept another seven days with gladness. For Hezekiah, king of Judah, had given to the congregation a thousand bullocks and seven thousand sheep, and the princes gave to the congregation a thousand bullocks and ten thousand sheep, and a great number of priests sanctified themselves. And all the congregation of Judah, with the priests and the Levites, and all the congregation that came out of Israel, and the strangers that came out of the land of Israel, and that dwelt in Judah, rejoiced. So there was great joy in Jerusalem, for since the time of Solomon, the son of David, king of Israel there was not the like in Jerusalem. Then the priests, the Levites, arose and blessed the people, and their voice was heard, and their prayer came up to the dwelling place of his sanctuary, unto heaven.

Now as Ezra prayed and confessed, weeping and casting himself down before the house of God, there assembled unto him out of Israel a very great congregation of men and women and children; and the people wept very sore. Then Shechaniah, the son of Jehiel, one of the sons of Elam, answered and said unto Ezra, We have rebelled against our God and have taken strange women of the peoples of the land, but there is yet hope for Israel concerning this thing. Now, therefore, let us make a covenant with our God to send away all the women and such as are born of them, according to the counsel of the Lord and of those that fear the commandment of our God; and let it be done according to the law.read more.
Arise; for this matter belongs unto thee; we also will be with thee: be of good courage, and do it. Then Ezra arose and made the princes of the priests, the Levites, and all Israel, swear that they should do according to this word. And they swore. Then Ezra rose up from before the house of God and went into the chamber of Johanan, the son of Eliashib; and when he came there, he ate no bread, nor drank water; for he mourned because of the transgression of those that had been carried away. And they made proclamation throughout Judah and Jerusalem unto all the sons of the captivity, that they should gather themselves together unto Jerusalem and that whoever would not come within three days, according to the counsel of the princes and of the elders, all his substance should be forfeited and himself separated from the congregation of those that had been carried away. Thus were all the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered together unto Jerusalem within three days. It was the ninth month, on the twentieth of the month; and all the people sat in the plaza of the house of God, trembling because of this matter and because of the rains. And Ezra, the priest, stood up, and said unto them, Ye have transgressed because ye have taken strange women, thus increasing the guiltiness of Israel. Now, therefore, make confession unto the LORD God of your fathers and do his will; and separate yourselves from the peoples of the lands and from the strange women. Then all the congregation answered and said with a loud voice, Let it be done according to thy word. But the people are many, and it is a time of much rain, and there is no strength to stand in the street; neither is this a work of one day or two; for we are many that have transgressed in this thing. Let our rulers of all the congregation now stand, and let all those who have taken strange women in our cities come at appointed times, and with them the elders of each city and the judges thereof, until the fierce wrath of our God for this matter is turned from us. Jonathan, the son of Asahel, and Jahaziah, the son of Tikvah, were placed over this matter; and Meshullam and Shabbethai, the Levites, helped them. And the sons of the captivity did so. And Ezra, the priest, and the men who were the heads of the fathers in the house of their fathers were separated, all of them by their names, and sat down in the first day of the tenth month to inquire into the matter. And they finished, with all the men that had taken strange women by the first day of the first month. And among the sons of the priests that had taken strange women these were found: Of the sons of Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and of his brethren: Maaseiah and Eliezer, and Jarib and Gedaliah. And they gave their hands that they would send away their women; and being guilty, they offered a ram of the flock for their guiltiness. And of the sons of Immer; Hanani and Zebadiah. And of the sons of Harim; Maaseiah, Elijah, Shemaiah, Jehiel, and Uzziah. And of the sons of Pashur; Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethaneel, Jozabad, and Elasah. And of the sons of the Levites; Jozabad, Shimei, Kelaiah, (the same is Kelita,) Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer. And of the singers; Eliashib; and of the porters; Shallum, Telem, and Uri. Likewise of Israel: of the sons of Parosh; Ramiah, Jeziah, Malchiah, Miamin, Eleazar, Malchijah, and Benaiah. And of the sons of Elam; Mattaniah, Zechariah, Jehiel, Abdi, Jeremoth, and Eliah. And of the sons of Zattu; Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Jeremoth, Zabad, and Aziza. And of the sons of Bebai; Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai. And of the sons of Bani; Meshullam, Malluch, Adaiah, Jashub, Sheal, and Ramoth. And of the sons of Pahath-moab; Adna, Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezaleel, Binnui, and Manasseh. And of the sons of Harim; Eliezer, Ishijah, Malchiah, Shemaiah, Shimeon, Benjamin, Malluch, and Shemariah. Of the sons of Hashum; Mattenai, Mattathah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, and Shimei. Of the sons of Bani; Maadai, Amram, and Uel, Benaiah, Bedeiah, Chelluh, Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Mattenai, and Jaasau, Bani, Binnui, Shimei, Shelemiah, Nathan, and Adaiah, Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai, Azareel, Shelemiah, Shemariah, Shallum, Amariah, and Joseph. And of the sons of Nebo; Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jadau, Joel, and Benaiah. All these had taken strange women, and there were women of theirs who had given birth to sons.

Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests, the word of God came upon John the son of Zachariah in the wilderness. And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins; as it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord; make his paths straight.read more.
Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low, and the crooked ways shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth; and all flesh shall see the saving health of God. Then said he to the multitude that came forth to be baptized of him, O generation of vipers, who taught you to flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham for our father; for I say unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees; every tree therefore which does not bring forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire. And the people asked him, saying, What shall we do then? He answered and said unto them, He that has two coats, let him impart to him that has none; and he that has food, let him do likewise. Then the publicans also came to be baptized and said unto him, Master, what shall we do? And he said unto them, Exact no more than that which is appointed you. And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, And what shall we do? And he said unto them, Oppress no one, neither accuse anyone falsely; and be content with your wages.

The woman then left her waterpot and went into the city and said to those men, Come, see a man who told me all that I have done; is perchance this the Christ? Then they went out of the city and came unto him.read more.
In the meanwhile his disciples entreated him, saying, Rabbi, eat. But he said unto them, I have a food to eat that ye know not of. Therefore said the disciples one to another, Has anyone brought him anything to eat? Jesus said unto them, My food is to do the will of him that sent me and to finish his work. Do ye not say, There are yet four months and then comes harvest? Behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes and look on the fields, for they are white already to harvest. And he that reaps receives wages and gathers fruit unto eternal life, that both he that sows and he that reaps may rejoice together. And herein is that saying true, One sows and another reaps. I have sent you to reap that upon which ye bestowed no labour; others laboured, and ye have entered into their labours. And many of the Samaritans of that city believed in him by the word of the woman, who testified, He told me all that I have done. So when the Samaritans were come unto him, they asked him to abide with them; and he abode there two days. And many more believed by his own word and said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy speech; for we have heard him ourselves and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world.

And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.read more.
And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. (And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.) Now at this sound, the multitude came together and were confounded because each one heard them speak in his own tongue. And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these who speak Galilaeans? And how do we hear each one speak in our own tongue, with which we were brought up? Parthians and Medes and Elamites and the dwellers in Mesopotamia and in Judaea and Cappadocia, in Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, in Egypt and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes, Cretes and Arabians, we hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God. And they were all amazed and were in doubt, saying one to another, What does this mean? Others mocking said, These men are full of new wine. Then Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea and all ye that dwell in Jerusalem, be this known unto you and hearken to my words; for these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day. But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel: And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; and for certain on my slaves and on my handmaids I will pour out in those days of my Spirit, and they shall prophesy; and I will show wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath: blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke; the sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood before that great and notable day of the Lord shall come; and it shall come to pass that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. Ye men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know, him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken and by wicked hands have crucified and slain, whom God has raised up, having loosed the pains of death because it was not possible for him to be held by it. For David speaks concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved, therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover even my flesh shall rest in hope because thou wilt not leave my soul in Hades, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance. Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day. Therefore being a prophet and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up the Christ to sit on his throne; he, seeing this before, spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that his soul was not left in Hades, neither did his flesh see corruption. This Jesus God has raised up, of whom we all are witnesses. Therefore being raised up by the right hand of God and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this which ye now see and hear. For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he saith himself, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand until I make thy foes thy footstool. Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said unto them, Repent and be baptized each one of you into the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is unto you and to your children and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. And with many other words he testified and exhorted, saying, Be saved from this perverse generation. So that those who gladly received his word were baptized, and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship and in breaking of bread and in prayers. And fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles. And all that believed were together and had all things common and sold their possessions and property and distributed them to everyone, as each one had need. And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food together with gladness and singleness of heart, praising God and having grace with all the people. And the Lord added to the congregation daily such as should be saved.

Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached the Christ unto them. And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spoke, hearing and seeing the signs which he did. For many unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, came out of those who were possessed with them, and many paralytics and that were lame were healed.read more.
And there was great joy in that city.

And many that believed came, confessing and declaring their deeds. In the same manner many who had practiced vain arts brought their books together and burned them before everyone, and they counted the price of them and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver. So the word of God grew mightily and prevailed.