The Vigil

from Esther 2:15

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 2:15

Now when the turn of Esther, the daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai, who had taken her for his daughter, had come to go in to the king, she required nothing but what Hegai the king’s eunuch, the keeper of the women, appointed. And Esther obtained favor in the sight of all them that looked upon her.

Ezekiel 16:7

I have caused you to multiply as the bud of the field, and you have increased and grown great, and you have come to excellent ornaments: your breasts are fashioned, and your hair is grown, whereas you were naked and bore.

from Song of Solomon 8:10

Genesis 22:17

That in blessing I will bless you, and in multiplying I will multiply your seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand upon the sea shore; and your seed shall possess the gate of his enemies;

from Deuteronomy 1:10


a thread opens

Acts 20:21

Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.

Acts 26:20

But showed first to them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, so that they should repent and turn to God, and do works worthy of repentance.

from Acts 20:21

II Peter 1:4

Whereby are given to us exceedingly great and precious promises: that by these you might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world through lust.

from Matthew 3:8

Ezekiel 36:25

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 II Peter 1:4 · a strong link

Zechariah 13:1

In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness.

from Ezekiel 36:25 · a strong link


a thread opens

Acts 13:38

Be it known to you therefore, men and brothers, that through this man is preached to you the forgiveness of sins:

Acts 2:38

Then Peter said to them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

from Acts 13:38

Mark 16:16

He that believes and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believes not shall be damned.

from Acts 2:38 · a strong link

Genesis 18:25

That are far from you to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that are far from you: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?

from Romans 3:6

Isaiah 3:10

Say to the righteous, that it shall be well with him: for they shall eat the fruit of their doings.

from Genesis 18:25 · a strong link

Ecclesiastes 8:12

Though a sinner do evil a hundred times, and his days be prolonged, yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear God, who fear before him:

from Isaiah 3:10


a thread opens

Acts 17:31

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.

Psalms 96:13

Before the LORD: for he comes, for he comes to judge the earth: he shall judge the world with righteousness, and the people with his truth.

from Acts 17:31

Revelation of John 19:11

And I saw heaven opened, and look, a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he does judge and make war.

from Psalms 96:13 · a strong link

Zechariah 9:9

Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: look, your King comes to you: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon a donkey, and upon a colt the foal of a donkey.

from Revelation of John 19:11


a thread opens

Acts 4:27

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,

Matthew 27:2

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

Luke 13:1

There were present at that season some that told him of the Galileans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.

from Matthew 27:2

Acts 5:37

After this man rose up Judas of Galilee in the days of the taxing, and drew away much people after him: he also perished; and all, even as many as obeyed him, were dispersed.

from Luke 13:1

Luke 2:1

And it happened in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed.

from Acts 5:37


a thread opens

Acts 7:51

You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, you do always resist the Holy Spirit: as your fathers did, so do you.

Romans 2:28

For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:

from Acts 7:51

Revelation of John 2:9

I know your works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but you are rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan.

from Romans 2:28

Revelation of John 3:9

Look, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; look, I will make them to come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you.

from Revelation of John 2:9 · a strong link

Isaiah 60:14

The sons also of them that afflicted you shall come bending to you; and all they that despised you shall bow themselves down at the soles of your feet; and they shall call you, The city of the LORD, The Zion of the Holy One of Israel.

from Revelation of John 3:9

Hebrews 12:22

But you have come to mount Zion, and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,

from Isaiah 60:14


a thread opens

Acts 22:21

And he said to me, Depart: for I will send you far hence to the Gentiles.

Acts 9:15

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

I Timothy 2:7

To which I am ordained a preacher, and an apostle, (I speak the truth in Christ, and lie not;) a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and verity.

from Acts 9:15

Ephesians 3:7

Of which I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given to me by the effective working of his power.

from I Timothy 2:7

II Corinthians 4:4

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 I Timothy 1:11

That is the whole thread.

Every verse the cross-references reach from Esther 2:15 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