This revival account is recorded in Acts 15:36 – Acts 18:22.

Introduction
The 26 A.D. Revival Under John the Baptist initiated a movement that continued throughout the first century and beyond. During Jesus’ life the movement was so profound that the Pharisees said,

There’s nothing we can do. Look, everyone has gone after him! (John 12:19b).

This NIV translation of that verse may be more accurate, and it states it like this:

See, this is getting us nowhere. Look how the whole world has gone after him (NIV).

Though that was hyperbole, it was also prophetic.

Following the martyrdom of Stephen in Acts 7, severe persecution arose (Acts 8:1-4), which was intended to stamp out the followers of Jesus, but it tended only to cause the movement to spread further, and at a much faster rate than it otherwise would have without the persecution.

So the churches were strengthened in their faith and grew larger every day” (Acts 16:5).

When writing to the Thessalonians in 51 A.D., Paul said that the Gospel was spreading rapidly through the believers in and around that city:

“And now the word of the Lord is ringing out from you to people everywhere, even beyond Macedonia and Achaia, for wherever we go we find people telling us about your faith in God. We don’t need to tell them about it” (1 Thessalonians 1:8).

By 57 A.D., when Paul wrote his letter to the Romans, he said that the faith of the believers in Rome was “being talked about all over the world” (Romans 1:8).  These were just two locations, and it was the common theme that was found wherever Christians were scattered.

These few revival accounts are but a small snapshot of what was taking place throughout the Roman Empire during the first century:
26 A.D. Revival Under John the Baptist
27 A.D. Revival Under Jesus and His Disciples
27 A.D. Revival in the Samaritan Village of Sychar
30 A.D. Revival on the Day of Pentecost
31 A.D. Revival in Samaria Under Philip
37 A.D. Revival in Caesarea Under Peter
42 A.D. Revival at Antioch
48 A.D. Revivals During Paul’s 1st Missionary Journey

Preparation for Paul’s 2^nd Missionary Journey

After Paul’s first missionary journey he spent some time in Antioch of Syria, teaching and preaching. It was during this time that the thought came about revisiting the churches that he and Barnabas had previously started in Asia Minor.

After some time Paul said to Barnabas, “Let’s go back and visit each city where we previously preached the word of the Lord, to see how the new believers are doing” (Acts 15:36).

The strong and successful ministry partnership of Paul and Barnabas took a turn at this point, with a disagreement leading Barnabas to take John Mark to Cyprus, and with Paul choosing Silas to accompany him (Acts 15:37-40).

Listed on right is the sequence of cities and Roman provinces visited during this missionary journey.

Roman Provinces of Syria and Cilicia
► The locations visited first were the churches closest to the Antioch church (Acts 15:41). How many churches were located in these provinces at this time is not known. We also have no record of what occurred in these locations.

Derbe
Nothing is mentioned about what occurred during their visit to this city (Acts 16:1).

Lystra, Iconium, and Unnamed Towns
In the city of Lystra, Paul invited Timothy to join him and Silas on their travels (Acts 16:1-3). We notice that there were believers scattered throughout the Roman province of Lycaonia, evidently a product of Paul’s ministry the year before. The results of their ministry was that the churches “were strengthened in their faith and grew larger every day” (Acts 16:4-5).

One of the messages Paul gave to the Gentile believers wherever he went was the “decisions made by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem” (Acts 15:23-29; 16:4). This included a short list of rules they should observe, instead of binding them to the heavy weight of all the Jewish laws (Acts 15:10).

Roman Provinces of Phrygia, Galatia, Mysia, and the City of Troas
These provinces seemed to be passed through, undoubtedly preaching when there were occasions, but no results were mentioned.

The city of Troas is also mentioned, and it was there that Paul had his popular vision, often referred to as the “Macedonian Call.” Following that vision, the team immediately set their focus on Macedonia (Acts 16:9-10).

Island of Samothrace, Neapolis, Philippi (Macedonia)
Having left Troas, they went straight to the major city of Philippi (Acts 16:11-12).

Philippian jailer before Paul and Silas (Acts 16:26-30)

Major happenings in Philippi
► Conversion of Lydia and her household (Acts 16:13-15).
► Casting an evil spirit out of a slave (Acts 16:16-18).
► Paul and Silas severely beaten and thrown into prison (Acts 16:19-24).
► An earthquake and the conversion of the jailer and his household (Acts 16:25-34).
► The release of Paul and Silas from jail and leaving Philippi (Acts 16:35-40).

Cities of Amphipolis, Apollonia, and Thessalonica
Having left Philippi, Paul and his team traveled through Amphipolis and Apollonia, where we have no record of anything that occurred. After their arrival in Thessalonica we read of the following successes:
► Some Jews accepted Jesus as being the Messiah (Acts 17:1-4).
► Among those converted were also “many God-fearing Greek men,” and “quite a few prominent women” (Acts 17:4).

Paul preaching in Thessalonica

Persecution in Thessalonica
We know that Paul remained in Thessalonica for at least three weeks (Acts 17:2), and with the conversion of Jews and many Gentiles, jealousy among the non-believing Jews emerged, resulting in Paul having to flee the city (Acts 17:5-10).

Berea
After fleeing Thessalonica, Paul arrived in Berea where he experienced phenomenal results:
► Many Jews believed (Acts 17:10-12).
► Many Greek men and women believed (Acts 17:12).

Persecution in Berea
The Jewish persecutors from Thessalonica followed Paul to Berea, and were successful in their attempts to “stir up trouble,” requiring Paul to leave the Berea (Acts 17:13).

The Acropolis in Athens, by Leo von Klenze – Acts 17:22)

Athens
Upon Paul’s arrival in Athens he wasted no time, preaching whenever there was an open door:
► At the local synagogue (Acts 17:16-17).
► In the public square (Acts 17:17).
► Debating Epicurean and Stoic philosophers (Acts 17:18).
► Before the high council of the city—the Areopagus Sermon (Acts 17:19-33).

The result from his preaching before the high council (Areopagus) was that Dionysius became a believer, as well as an influential woman named Damaris, as well as others, but we aren’t given information as to how many (Acts 17:34).

Paul preaching in Athens before the Areopagus – Raphael 1515

Corinth
Having influenced several high-profile leaders in Athens to place their faith in Jesus as the Messiah, Paul moved on to Corinth, and it was at this city where he achieved a high level of success. Some of the notable events in this city were:
► He met Aquila and his wife Priscilla, with whom he lived and worked, in the trade that all three of them knew—tentmaking (Acts 18:1-3).
► He was successful at convincing Crispus, the leader of the synagogue, and his household, that Jesus was the Savior, but after efforts with others in the synagogue failed, he turned his attention to the Gentiles (Acts 18:8).
► Many others in Corinth “became believers and were baptized” (Acts 18:7-8).
► Having received a command from the Lord to preach boldly there, “he stayed there the next year and a half, teaching the word of God” (Acts 18:9-11).

Cenchrea, Ephesus, Caesarea, Jerusalem, Antioch
Having concluded his mission in Corinth, Paul made plans to return to the sending church in Antioch of Syria from where his journey began (Acts 18:18).

During his brief stop in Ephesus he visited the “synagogue to reason with the Jews” (Acts 18:19). They wanted him to stay longer, but he decided to continue his return trip to Antioch. That brief visit to Ephesus did set things in order for his return visit to that city, which occurred during his third missionary journey.

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