a thread opens
And there you shall serve gods, the work of men’s hands, wood and stone, which neither see, nor hear, nor eat, nor smell.
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.
They that make a carved image are all of them vanity; and their delectable things shall not profit; and they are their own witnesses; they see not, nor know; that they may be ashamed.
from Deuteronomy 4:28
Look, you are of nothing, and your work of nothing: an abomination is he that chooses you.
from Isaiah 44:9
They that make them are like to them; so is every one that trusts in them.
from Isaiah 41:24 · a strong link
They that make them are like to them: so is every one that trusts in them.
from Psalms 115:8
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 Psalms 135:18
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, your redeemer, and he that formed you from the womb, I am the LORD that makes all things; that stretches forth the heavens alone; that spreads abroad the earth by myself;
from I Corinthians 8:4
It is he that sits upon the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are as grasshoppers; that stretches out the heavens as a curtain, and spreads them out as a tent to dwell in:
from Isaiah 44:24
All nations before him are as nothing; and they are counted to him less than nothing, and vanity.
from Isaiah 40:22
Surely common people are vanity, and people of rank are a lie: to be laid in the balance, they are altogether lighter than vanity.
from Isaiah 40:17 · a strong link
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.
Even as the Son of man came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.
from I John 3:16
Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.
from Matthew 20:28 · a strong link
Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you:
from I Timothy 2:6 · a strong link
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.
For we have not followed cleverly devised myths, when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty.
from I John 2:27
That we from now on be no more children, tossed back and forth, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the craftiness of men, and crafty scheming, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
from II Peter 1:16
These are blemishes at your love feasts, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: waterless clouds, carried along by winds; trees whose fruit withers, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots;
from Ephesians 4:14
These are waterless springs, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever.
from Jude 1:12
And their nobles have sent their little ones to the waters: they came to the pits, and found no water; they returned with their vessels empty; they were ashamed and confounded, and covered their heads.
from II Peter 2:17
Listen not to Hezekiah: for thus says the king of Assyria, Make an agreement with me by a present, and come out to me, and then eat you every man of his own vine, and every one of his fig tree, and drink you every one the waters of his cistern:
from Jeremiah 14:3
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.
And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
from I Corinthians 12:28 · a strong link
Now there were in the church at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.
from Ephesians 4:11
And Joses, who by the apostles was surnamed Barnabas, (which is, being interpreted, The son of comfort,) a Levite, and of the country of Cyprus,
from Acts 13:1
And the other Jews acted hypocritically likewise with him; so that Barnabas also was carried away with their hypocrisy.
from Acts 4:36
Do not be deceived: bad company corrupts good character.
from Galatians 2:13
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.
I the LORD search the heart, I try the inmost thoughts, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.
from I Chronicles 29:17 · a strong link
Who will render to every man according to his deeds:
from Jeremiah 17:10
And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searches the inmost thoughts and hearts: and I will give to every one of you according to your works.
from Romans 2:6
And I looked, and look, a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given to them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.
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:
For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread.
from I Corinthians 5:7
For as the body is one, and has many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.
from I Corinthians 10:17
For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the savior of the body.
from I Corinthians 12:12
That is the whole thread.
Every verse the cross-references reach from Deuteronomy 4:28 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