The Vigil

from Esther 1:3

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.

a thread opens

Esther 1:3

In the third year of his reign, he made a feast to all his princes and his servants; the power of Persia and Media, the nobles and princes of the provinces, being before him:

I Kings 3:15

And Solomon awoke; and indeed, it was a dream. And he came to Jerusalem, and stood before the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and offered up burnt offerings, and offered peace offerings, and made a feast to all his servants.

from Esther 1:3

Daniel 5:1

Belshazzar the king made a great feast to a thousand of his lords, and drank wine before the thousand.

from I Kings 3:15

Isaiah 22:12

And in that day did the Lord GOD of hosts call to weeping, and to mourning, and to baldness, and to girding with sackcloth:

from Daniel 5:1

Micah 1:16

Make bald, and cut your hair for your delicate children; enlarge your baldness as the eagle; for they have gone into captivity from you.

from Isaiah 22:12

II Kings 17:6

In the ninth year of Hoshea the king of Assyria took Samaria, and carried Israel away into Assyria, and placed them in Halah and in Habor by the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes.

from Micah 1:16


a thread opens

I Corinthians 8:4

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.

Isaiah 41:29

Look, they are all vanity; their works are nothing: their cast images are wind and confusion.

from Isaiah 41:24

Jeremiah 5:13

And the prophets shall become wind, and the word is not in them: thus shall it be done to them.

from Isaiah 41:29

Jeremiah 14:15

Therefore thus says the LORD concerning the prophets that prophesy in my name, and I sent them not, yet they say, Sword and famine shall not be in this land; By sword and famine shall those prophets be consumed.

from Jeremiah 5:13


a thread opens

I John 3:16

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.

John 3:16

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, so that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

from I John 3:16 · a strong link

Romans 5:10

For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

from John 3:16 · a strong link

Romans 8:32

He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?

from Romans 5:10 · a strong link


a thread opens

I John 2:27

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.

I Peter 1:23

Being born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, by the word of God, which lives and remains for ever.

from I John 2:27

I John 3:9

Whoever is born of God does not commit sin; for his seed remains in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.

from I Peter 1:23

I John 5:18

We know that whoever is born of God sins not; but he that is begotten of God keeps himself, and that wicked one touches him not.

from I John 3:9 · a strong link

James 1:27

Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unstained from the world.

from I John 5:18

Psalms 68:5

A father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows, is God in his holy habitation.

from James 1:27 · a strong link


a thread opens

I Corinthians 12:28

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.

Hebrews 13:17

Obey your leaders, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.

from I Corinthians 12:28 · a strong link

Exodus 32:31

And Moses returned to the LORD, and said, Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them gods of gold.

from Hebrews 13:17

Exodus 32:30

And it happened on the next day, that Moses said to the people, You have sinned a great sin: and now I will go up to the LORD; perhaps I shall make an atonement for your sin.

from Exodus 32:31

II Samuel 16:12

It may be that the LORD will look on my affliction, and that the LORD will repay me good for his cursing this day.

from Exodus 32:30


a thread opens

I Chronicles 29:17

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.

Galatians 5:6

For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision; but faith which works by love.

from John 13:17


a thread opens

I Corinthians 5:7

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:

That is the whole thread.

Every verse the cross-references reach from Esther 1:3 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