a thread opens
You shall not delay to offer the first of your ripe fruits, and of your liquors: the firstborn of your sons shall you give to me.
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.
Sanctify to me all the firstborn, whatever opens the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and of beast: it is mine.
from Exodus 22:29 · a strong link
Because all the firstborn are mine; for on the day that I struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt I hallowed to me all the firstborn in Israel, both man and beast: mine shall they be: I am the LORD.
from Exodus 13:2 · a strong link
Only the firstling of the beasts, which should be the LORD’s firstling, no man shall sanctify it; whether it be ox, or sheep: it is the LORD’s.
from Numbers 3:13
But the firstling of a cow, or the firstling of a sheep, or the firstling of a goat, you shall not redeem; they are holy: you shall sprinkle their blood upon the altar, and shall burn their fat for an offering made by fire, for a pleasing aroma to the LORD.
from Leviticus 27:26
And he shall lay his hand upon the head of his offering, and kill it at the door of the tent of meeting: and Aaron’s sons the priests shall sprinkle the blood upon the altar all around.
from Numbers 18:17
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.
And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:
from I Corinthians 8:4
Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:
from Mark 12:29 · a strong link
I am the LORD, and there is none else, there is no God beside me: I girded you, though you have not known me:
from Deuteronomy 6:4
For you have girded me with strength to the battle: you have subdued under me those that rose up against me.
from Isaiah 45:5 · a strong link
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.
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 John 3:16 · a strong link
And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have first place.
from Revelation of John 1:5 · a strong link
And he said to me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give to him that is thirsty of the fountain of the water of life freely.
from Colossians 1:18
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.
Remain in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it remain in the vine; no more can you, except you remain in me.
from I John 2:27
Then Jesus said to those Jews which believed on him, If you continue in my word, then are you my disciples indeed;
from John 15:4 · a strong link
But he that shall endure to the end, the same shall be saved.
from John 8:31
And you shall hear of wars and rumors of wars: see that you be not troubled: for all these things must happen, but the end is not yet.
from Matthew 24:13
And when you shall hear of wars and rumors of wars, be not troubled: for such things must be; but the end shall not be yet.
from Matthew 24:6 · a strong link
But when you shall hear of wars and commotions, be not terrified: for these things must first happen; but the end does not come at once.
from Mark 13:7
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.
Take heed therefore to yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he has purchased with his own blood.
from I Corinthians 12:28
Paul and Timothy, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:
from Acts 20:28
This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of overseer, he desires a good work.
from Philippians 1:1
Shepherd the flock of God among you, taking its oversight, not by constraint, but willingly; not for dishonest gain, but of a ready mind;
from I Timothy 3:1 · a strong link
Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work,
from I Peter 5:2
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.
You are witnesses, and God also, how holy and righteous and blamelessly we behaved ourselves among you that believe:
from I Chronicles 29:17
And when they had come to him, he said to them, You know, from the first day that I came into Asia, after what manner I have been with you at all seasons,
from I Thessalonians 2:10
And it happened, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples,
from Acts 20:18 · a strong link
Now this I say, that every one of you says, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ.
from Acts 19:1
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:
He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is mute, so he opens not his mouth.
from I Corinthians 5:7
But Jesus yet answered nothing; so that Pilate marveled.
from Isaiah 53:7
And he answered him to never a word; so that the governor marveled greatly.
from Mark 15:5
That is the whole thread.
Every verse the cross-references reach from Exodus 22:29 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