a thread opens
But thus shall you deal with them; you shall destroy their altars, and break down their images, and cut down their Asherah poles, and burn their carved images with fire.
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.
You shall utterly destroy all the places, in which the nations which you shall possess served their gods, upon the high mountains, and upon the hills, and under every green tree:
from Deuteronomy 7:5
The carved images of their gods shall you burn with fire: you shall not desire the silver or gold on them, nor take it to you, lest you be snared in it: for it is an abomination to the LORD your God.
from Deuteronomy 12:2
And when they had left their gods there, David gave a commandment, and they were burned with fire.
from Deuteronomy 7:25 · a strong link
And he took the calf which they had made, and burnt it in the fire, and ground it to powder, and strawed it upon the water, and made the children of Israel drink of it.
from I Chronicles 14:12
a thread opens
Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.
And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commands all men everywhere to repent:
from Acts 20:21
For as I passed by, and saw your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore you in ignorance worship, him declare I to you.
from Acts 17:30
And we know that the Son of God has come, and has given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.
from Acts 17:23
Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ;
from I John 5:20
In hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the world began;
from Titus 2:13
a thread opens
Be it known to you therefore, men and brothers, that through this man is preached to you the forgiveness of sins:
Him has God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Savior, to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.
from Acts 13:38
Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and you shall be clean: from all your obscenity, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you.
from Acts 5:31
Ephraim shall say, What have I to do any more with idols? I have heard him, and observed him: I am like a green fir tree. From me is your fruit found.
from Ezekiel 36:25
That which I see not teach me: if I have done iniquity, I will do no more.
from Hosea 14:8
He that covers his sins shall not prosper: but whoever confesses and forsakes them shall have mercy.
from Job 34:32
If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
from Proverbs 28:13 · a strong link
a thread opens
Because he has appointed a day, in which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he has ordained; of which he has given assurance to all men, in that he has raised him from the dead.
When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:
from Acts 17:31
But to the Son he said, Your throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of your kingdom.
from Matthew 25:31
But I will have mercy upon the house of Judah, and will save them by the LORD their God, and will not save them by bow, nor by sword, nor by battle, by horses, nor by horsemen.
from Hebrews 1:8
a thread opens
For truly against your holy child Jesus, whom you have anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together,
And when they had bound him, they led him away, and delivered him to Pontius Pilate the governor.
from Acts 4:27 · a strong link
I give you charge in the sight of God, who gives life to all things, and before Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession;
from Matthew 27:2
And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. To him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,
from I Timothy 6:13
For there are three that bear witness in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit: and these three are one.
from Revelation of John 1:5 · a strong link
a thread opens
You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, you do always resist the Holy Spirit: as your fathers did, so do you.
To a land flowing with milk and honey: for I will not go up in the midst of you; for you are a stiff-necked people: lest I consume you in the way.
from Acts 7:51
And he said to him, If your presence go not with me, carry us not up hence.
from Exodus 33:3
And he said, If now I have found favor in your sight, O Lord, let my Lord, please, go among us; for it is a stiff-necked people; and pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for your inheritance.
from Exodus 33:15
He gave his people over also to the sword; and was angry with his inheritance.
from Exodus 34:9
And the Philistines drew up in battle against Israel: and when they joined battle, Israel was struck before the Philistines: and they slew of the army in the field about four thousand men.
from Psalms 78:62
a thread opens
And he said to me, Depart: for I will send you far hence to the Gentiles.
But the Lord said to him, Go your way: for he is a chosen vessel to me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:
from Acts 22:21 · a strong link
At my first defense no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge.
from Acts 9:15
And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.
from II Timothy 4:16 · a strong link
And when we had accomplished those days, we departed and went our way; and they all brought us on our way, with wives and children, till we were out of the city: and we kneeled down on the shore, and prayed.
from Acts 7:60
And being brought on their way by the church, they passed through Phoenicia and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles: and they caused great joy to all the brothers.
from Acts 21:5
And it may be that I will remain, yes, and winter with you, that you may bring me on my journey wherever I go.
from Acts 15:3
That is the whole thread.
Every verse the cross-references reach from Deuteronomy 7:5 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