a thread opens
And they did so; for Aaron stretched out his hand with his rod, and struck the dust of the earth, and it became gnats in man, and in beast; all the dust of the land became gnats throughout all the land of Egypt.
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.
He spoke, and there came various sorts of flies, and gnats in all their coasts.
from Exodus 8:17 · a strong link
Else, if you will not let my people go, look, I will send swarms of flies upon you, and upon your servants, and upon your people, and into your houses: and the houses of the Egyptians shall be full of swarms of flies, and also the ground on which they are.
from Psalms 105:31
And it shall happen in that day, that the LORD shall hiss for the fly in the farthest part of the rivers of Egypt, and for the bee in the land of Assyria.
from Exodus 8:21
And he will lift up a banner to the nations from afar, and will hiss to them from the end of the earth: and they shall come with speed swiftly:
from Isaiah 7:18 · a strong link
a thread opens
Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.
But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear to myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.
from Acts 20:21
For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand.
from Acts 20:24
Yes, and if I am being poured out as a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy, and rejoice with you all.
from II Timothy 4:6 · a strong link
And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved.
from Philippians 2:17 · a strong link
I speak not this to condemn you: for I have said before, that you are in our hearts to die and live with you.
from II Corinthians 12:15
a thread opens
Be it known to you therefore, men and brothers, that through this man is preached to you the forgiveness of sins:
And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
from Acts 13:38 · a strong link
And he said, It is a light thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give you for a light to the Gentiles, that you may be my salvation to the end of the earth.
from Luke 24:47
I bring near my righteousness; it shall not be far off, and my salvation will not delay: and I will place salvation in Zion for Israel my glory.
from Isaiah 49:6
Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yes, I have made him.
from Isaiah 46:13
But when he sees his children, the work of my hands, in the midst of him, they shall sanctify my name, and sanctify the Holy One of Jacob, and shall fear the God of Israel.
from Isaiah 43:7
But the LORD of hosts shall be exalted in judgment, and God that is holy shall be sanctified in righteousness.
from Isaiah 29:23
a thread opens
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.
And he shall judge the world in righteousness, he shall minister judgment to the people in uprightness.
from Acts 17:31
Before the LORD: for he comes, for he comes to judge the earth: he shall judge the world with righteousness, and the people with his truth.
from Psalms 9:8 · a strong link
And I saw heaven opened, and look, a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he does judge and make war.
from Psalms 96:13 · a strong link
a thread opens
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,
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
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
Then some of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preaches.
from Acts 3:6
But Jesus held his peace. And the high priest answered him, I adjure you by the living God, that you tell us whether you be the Christ, the Son of God.
from Acts 19:13
a thread opens
You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, you do always resist the Holy Spirit: as your fathers did, so do you.
For I know your rebellion, and your stiff neck: look, while I am yet alive with you this day, you have been rebellious against the LORD; and how much more after my death?
from Acts 7:51
And he said, I will hide my face from them, I will see what their end shall be: for they are a very perverse generation, children in whom is no faith.
from Deuteronomy 31:27
They have corrupted themselves, their spot is not the spot of his children: they are a perverse and crooked generation.
from Deuteronomy 32:20
And Jesus answering said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you, and suffer you? Bring your son here.
from Deuteronomy 32:5
Then he said to Thomas, Reach here your finger, and see my hands; and reach here your hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.
from Luke 9:41
a thread opens
And he said to me, Depart: for I will send you far hence to the Gentiles.
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
To which I am ordained a preacher, and an apostle, (I speak the truth in Christ, and lie not;) a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and verity.
from Acts 9:15
I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Spirit,
from I Timothy 2:7
Now the things which I write to you, look, before God, I lie not.
from Romans 9:1 · a strong link
The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is blessed for evermore, knows that I lie not.
from Galatians 1:20
Who exchanged the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
from II Corinthians 11:31
That is the whole thread.
Every verse the cross-references reach from Exodus 8:17 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