The Vigil

from Exodus 23:20

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

Exodus 23:20

Look, I send an Angel before you, to keep you in the way, and to bring you into the place which I have prepared.

Joshua 5:13

And it happened, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and there stood a man opposite him with his sword drawn in his hand: and Joshua went to him, and said to him, Are you for us, or for our adversaries?

from Exodus 23:20

Numbers 22:23

And the donkey saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and the donkey turned aside out of the way, and went into the field: and Balaam struck the donkey, to turn her into the way.

from Joshua 5:13 · a strong link

Jude 1:11

Woe to them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the rebellion of Korah.

from Numbers 22:23

Genesis 4:3

And in process of time it happened, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering to the LORD.

from Jude 1:11


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.

Ephesians 1:15

Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love to all the saints,

from Acts 20:21


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:

II Corinthians 5:18

And all things are of God, who has reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and has given to us the ministry of reconciliation;

from Acts 13:38

John 11:51

And this spoke he not of himself: but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation;

from I John 2:2 · a strong link

Exodus 28:30

And you shall put in the breastplate of judgment the Urim and the Thummim; and they shall be upon Aaron’s heart, when he goes in before the LORD: and Aaron shall bear the judgment of the children of Israel upon his heart before the LORD continually.

from John 11:51

I Samuel 30:7

And David said to Abiathar the priest, Ahimelech’s son, please, bring me here the ephod. And Abiathar brought there the ephod to David.

from Exodus 28:30


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.

II Peter 3:7

But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved to fire for the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.

from Acts 17:31


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,

Acts 4:30

By stretching forth your hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of your holy child Jesus.

from Acts 4:27 · a strong link

Acts 3:6

Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.

from Acts 4:30

Mark 14:8

She has done what she could: she has come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying.

from Acts 3:6

II Corinthians 8:12

For if there is first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man has, and not according to that he has not.

from Mark 14:8


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 2:25

For circumcision truly profits, if you keep the law: but if you are a breaker of the law, your circumcision is made uncircumcision.

from Acts 7:51

Jeremiah 4:4

Circumcise yourselves to the LORD, and take away the foreskins of your heart, you men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem: lest my fury come forth like fire, and burn that none can quench it, because of the evil of your doings.

from Romans 2:25

Jeremiah 21:12

O house of David, thus says the LORD; Execute judgment in the morning, and deliver him that is plundered out of the hand of the oppressor, lest my fury go out like fire, and burn that none can quench it, because of the evil of your doings.

from Jeremiah 4:4

Isaiah 1:17

Learn to do good; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.

from Jeremiah 21:12 · a strong link

Zephaniah 2:3

Seek you the LORD, all you meek of the earth, which have worked his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be you shall be hid in the day of the LORD’s anger.

from Isaiah 1:17


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

Galatians 1:15

But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb, and called me by his grace,

from Acts 9:15 · a strong link

Jeremiah 1:5

Before I formed you in the belly I knew you; and before you came forth out of the womb I sanctified you, and I ordained you a prophet to the nations.

from Galatians 1:15 · a strong link

Romans 8:29

For whom he did foreknow, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, so that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.

from Jeremiah 1:5 · a strong link

II Timothy 1:9

Who has saved us, and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,

from Romans 8:29 · a strong link

That is the whole thread.

Every verse the cross-references reach from Exodus 23:20 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