a thread opens
And the king arising from the banquet of wine in his wrath went into the palace garden: and Haman stood up to make request for his life to Esther the queen; for he saw that there was evil determined against him by the king.
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.
But the queen Vashti refused to come at the king’s commandment by his eunuchs: therefore was the king very angry, and his anger burned in him.
from Esther 7:7
The king’s wrath is as the roaring of a lion; but his favor is as dew upon the grass.
from Esther 1:12
I will be as the dew to Israel: he shall grow as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon.
from Proverbs 19:12
And why are you anxious for apparel? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:
from Hosea 14:5
Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say to you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
from Matthew 6:28
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.
For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;
from I Corinthians 8:4
And in the midst of the seven lampstands one like to the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and belted about the paps with a golden belt.
from I Timothy 2:5
And they shall make the ephod of gold, of blue, and of purple, of scarlet, and fine twisted linen, with skilled work.
from Revelation of John 1:13 · a strong link
Moreover you shall make the tabernacle with ten curtains of fine twisted linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet: with cherubim of skilled work shall you make them.
from Exodus 28:6
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.
This is my commandment, That you love one another, as I have loved you.
from I John 3:16
For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.
from John 15:12
Brothers, I write no new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which you have heard from the beginning.
from I John 3:11
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.
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
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
from I Peter 1:23 · a strong link
And every man that has this hope in him purifies himself, even as he is pure.
from I Peter 1:3 · a strong link
Therefore, beloved, seeing that you look for such things, be diligent that you may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.
from I John 3:3
And the very God of peace sanctify you completely; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
from II Peter 3:14 · a strong link
Who shall also confirm you to the end, so that you may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
from I Thessalonians 5:23
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
Have we not power to lead about a sister, a wife, as well as other apostles, and as the brothers of the Lord, and Cephas?
from I Timothy 5:17
But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord’s brother.
from I Corinthians 9:5
Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they took offense at him.
from Galatians 1:19
There were also women looking on in the distance: among whom was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the less and of Joses, and Salome;
from Mark 6:3
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
And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offense toward God, and toward men.
from II Corinthians 1:12
And Paul, earnestly seeing the council, said, Men and brothers, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day.
from Acts 24:16 · a strong link
As also the high priest does bear me witness, and all the estate of the elders: from whom also I received letters to the brothers, and went to Damascus, to bring them which were there bound to Jerusalem, to be punished.
from Acts 23:1
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 it was the preparation of the Passover, and about the sixth hour: and he said to the Jews, Look, your King!
from I Corinthians 5:7
Then Jesus came forth, wearing the crown of thorns, and the purple robe. And Pilate said to them, Look, the man!
from John 19:14
And the soldiers platted a crown of thorns, and put it on his head, and they put on him a purple robe,
from John 19:5
That is the whole thread.
Every verse the cross-references reach from Esther 7:7 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