a thread opens
And mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the LORD descended upon it in fire: and its smoke ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly.
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.
O God, when you went forth before your people, when you did march through the wilderness; Selah:
from Exodus 19:18
LORD, when you went out of Seir, when you marched out of the field of Edom, the earth trembled, and the heavens dropped, the clouds also dropped water.
from Psalms 68:7
Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations of heaven moved and shook, because he was angry.
from Judges 5:4
His lightning enlightened the world: the earth saw, and trembled.
from II Samuel 22:8 · a strong link
He looks on the earth, and it trembles: he touches the hills, and they smoke.
from Psalms 97:4
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.
Know therefore this day, and consider it in your heart, that the LORD he is God in heaven above, and upon the earth beneath: there is none else.
from I Corinthians 8:4
And as soon as we had heard these things, our hearts did melt, neither did there remain any more courage in any man, because of you: for the LORD your God, he is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath.
from Deuteronomy 4:39 · a strong link
Therefore shall all hands be faint, and every man’s heart shall melt:
from Joshua 2:11 · a strong link
The burden of Egypt. Look, the LORD rides upon a swift cloud, and shall come into Egypt: and the idols of Egypt shall be moved at his presence, and the heart of Egypt shall melt in the midst of it.
from Isaiah 13:7
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.
Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ;
from I John 3:16
I charge you therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the living and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;
from Titus 2:13
I charge you before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels, that you observe these things without favoritism, doing nothing by partiality.
from II Timothy 4:1 · 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 this cause we also thank God without ceasing, because, when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which is at work also in you that believe.
from I John 2:27
Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent to them Peter and John:
from I Thessalonians 2:13
And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given to me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go to the pagans, and they to the circumcision.
from Acts 8:14
And I went up by revelation, and laid before them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to them which were of reputation, lest by any means I should run, or had run, in vain.
from Galatians 2:9
For this cause, when I could endure it no longer, I sent to know your faith, lest by some means the tempter have tempted you, and our labor be in vain.
from Galatians 2:2
Holding out the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither labored in vain.
from I Thessalonians 3:5
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 are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone;
from I Corinthians 12:28
The stone which the builders refused has become the head stone of the corner.
from Ephesians 2:20
This is the stone which was set at nothing of you builders, which has become the cornerstone.
from Psalms 118:22 · a strong link
Therefore thus says the Lord GOD, Look, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believes will not panic.
from Acts 4:11
But his bow remained in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob; (from there is the shepherd, the stone of Israel:)
from Isaiah 28:16 · a strong link
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
Say to the righteous, that it shall be well with him: for they shall eat the fruit of their doings.
from Jeremiah 17:10
And the LORD said to him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that are done in its midst.
from Isaiah 3:10
Thus says the Lord GOD; Strike with your hand, and stamp with your foot, and say, Alas for all the evil abominations of the house of Israel! for they shall fall by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence.
from Ezekiel 9:4
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:
The place of the Scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb mute before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth:
from I Corinthians 5:7
You have given us like sheep appointed for food; and have scattered us among the pagans.
from Acts 8:32
As it is written, For your sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
from Psalms 44:11
That is the whole thread.
Every verse the cross-references reach from Exodus 19:18 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