a thread opens
And you shall speak and say before the LORD your God, A Syrian ready to perish was my father, and he went down into Egypt, and sojourned there with a few, and became there a nation, great, mighty, and populous:
The Vigil
Today’s scroll, one verse at a time — each linked to the last by the cross-references rather than by any model of you. The same vigil for everyone, and a different one tomorrow.
And the famine was sore in the land.
from Deuteronomy 26:5 · a strong link
And the seven years of famine began to come, according as Joseph had said: and the famine was in all lands; but in all the land of Egypt there was bread.
from Genesis 43:1
And there shall arise after them seven years of famine; and all the plenty shall be forgotten in the land of Egypt; and the famine shall consume the land;
from Genesis 41:54
And there was no bread in all the land; for the famine was very sore, so that the land of Egypt and all the land of Canaan fainted by reason of the famine.
from Genesis 41:30
Now there came a famine over all the land of Egypt and Canaan, and great affliction: and our fathers found no sustenance.
from Genesis 47:13
a thread opens
As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice to idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one.
Thus says the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.
from I Corinthians 8:4
Know therefore this day, and consider it in your heart, that the LORD he is God in heaven above, and upon the earth beneath: there is none else.
from Isaiah 44:6 · a strong link
And said, O LORD God of our fathers, are you not God in heaven? and rule not you over all the kingdoms of the pagans? and in your hand is there not power and might, so that none is able to withstand you?
from Deuteronomy 4:39
This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones: to the intent that the living may know that the most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomsoever he will, and sets up over it the basest of men.
from II Chronicles 20:6
a thread opens
By this we perceive the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.
Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ;
from I John 3:16
In whom the god of this world has blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine to them.
from Titus 2:13
Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation:
from II Corinthians 4:4
a thread opens
But the anointing which you have received of him remains in you, and you need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teaches you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it has taught you, you shall remain in him.
Remain in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it remain in the vine; no more can you, except you remain in me.
from I John 2:27
Then Jesus said to those Jews which believed on him, If you continue in my word, then are you my disciples indeed;
from John 15:4 · a strong link
But continue you in the things which you have learned and have been assured of, knowing of whom you have learned them;
from John 8:31 · a strong link
And the things that you have heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit you to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.
from II Timothy 3:14
And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry;
from II Timothy 2:2
Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything as of ourselves; but our competence is from God;
from I Timothy 1:12
a thread opens
And God has set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, varieties of tongues.
Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially they who labor in the word and doctrine.
from I Corinthians 12:28
Or he that exhorts, on exhortation: he that gives, let him do it with simplicity; he that rules, with diligence; he that shows mercy, with cheerfulness.
from I Timothy 5:17 · a strong link
But you shall open your hand wide to him, and shall surely lend him sufficient for his need, in that which he wants.
from Romans 12:8
And if you lend to them of whom you hope to receive, what thank have you? for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again.
from Deuteronomy 15:8
Then he said also to him that invited him, When you make a dinner or a supper, call not your friends, nor your brothers, neither your kinsmen, nor your rich neighbors; lest they also invite you in return, and a recompense be made you.
from Luke 6:34
a thread opens
I know also, my God, that you try the heart, and have pleasure in uprightness. As for me, in the uprightness of my heart I have willingly offered all these things: and now have I seen with joy your people, who are present here, to offer willingly to you.
For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conduct in the world, and more abundantly toward you.
from I Chronicles 29:17
But he knows the way that I take: when he has tried me, I shall come forth as gold.
from II Corinthians 1:12
But put forth your hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse you to your face.
from Job 23:10
But put forth your hand now, and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face.
from Job 2:5 · a strong link
a thread opens
Clean out therefore the old leaven, so that you may be a new lump, as you are unleavened. For even Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us:
And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he said, Look, the Lamb of God!
from I Corinthians 5:7
The next day John saw Jesus coming to him, and said, Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.
from John 1:36 · a strong link
Who being the radiance of his glory, and the exact imprint of his nature, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself made purification for our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;
from John 1:29
That is the whole thread.
Every verse the cross-references reach from Deuteronomy 26:5 along this chain. Today’s own vigil is laid separately.
Each verse follows the one before it along the chain a study Bible draws — a century old, public, and compiled by people arguing about Scripture rather than about how long you stay. Every card says which verse it came from and opens the chapter it belongs to. Today’s vigil is the same for every reader and is worked out from the date alone, so there is no account, no counter, and nothing stored in your browser or ours.
The text is the Lantern Modern Standard. The links are openbible.info’s cross-reference set (CC BY), the same apparatus behind the reader’s Echoes drawer. Read a whole book · Today’s table