a thread opens
And you shall make a mercy seat of pure gold: two cubits and a half shall be its length, and a cubit and a half its breadth.
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.
And he made the mercy seat of pure gold: two cubits and a half was its length, and one cubit and a half its breadth.
from Exodus 25:17
And over it the cherubim of glory shadowing the mercyseat; of which we cannot now speak particularly.
from Exodus 37:6
And the LORD said to Moses, Speak to Aaron your brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the veil before the mercy seat, which is upon the ark; that he die not: for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat.
from Hebrews 9:5 · a strong link
But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people:
from Leviticus 16:2
And Aaron shall make an atonement upon the horns of it once in a year with the blood of the sin offering of atonements: once in the year shall he make atonement upon it throughout your generations: it is most holy to the LORD.
from Hebrews 9:7
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.
Thus says the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.
from I Corinthians 8:4
You are my witnesses, says the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen: that you may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me.
from Isaiah 44:6 · a strong link
That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside me. I am the LORD, and there is none else.
from Isaiah 43:10
That men may know that you, whose name alone is JEHOVAH, are the most high over all the earth.
from Isaiah 45:6
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.
And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us, and has given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a fragrant offering.
from I John 3:16 · a strong link
For even to this were you called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, so that you should follow his steps:
from Ephesians 5:2
Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and you shall find rest to your souls.
from I Peter 2:21
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.
As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk you in him:
from I John 2:27
That you might walk worthy of the Lord to all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;
from Colossians 2:6 · a strong link
He shall see of the toil of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.
from Colossians 1:10
A woman when she is in labor has sorrow, because her hour has come: but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembers no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world.
from Isaiah 53:11
Ask now, and see whether a man does toil with child? why do I see every man with his hands on his loins, as a woman in labor, and all faces are turned into paleness?
from John 16:21
O inhabitant of Lebanon, that make your nest in the cedars, how gracious shall you be when pangs come upon you, the pain as of a woman in labor!
from Jeremiah 30:6
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.
Obey your leaders, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.
from I Corinthians 12:28 · a strong link
And we beg you, brothers, to know them which labor among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you;
from Hebrews 13:17
That you submit yourselves to such, and to every one that helps with us, and labors.
from I Thessalonians 5:12
We therefore ought to receive such, so that we might be fellow workers to the truth.
from I Corinthians 16:16
Whether any do inquire of Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker concerning you: or our brothers be inquired of, they are the messengers of the churches, and the glory of Christ.
from III John 1:8
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 we have great joy and comfort in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed by you, brother.
from I Chronicles 29:17
Great is my boldness of speech toward you, great is my glorying of you: I am filled with comfort, I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation.
from Philemon 1:7
Who comforts us in all our tribulation, so that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted of God.
from II Corinthians 7:4
Therefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees;
from II Corinthians 1:4
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:
And I saw, and, look, in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.
from I Corinthians 5:7
John to the seven churches in Asia: Grace be to you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits before his throne;
To all that are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.
That is the whole thread.
Every verse the cross-references reach from Exodus 25:17 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