a thread opens
Thus says Cyrus king of Persia, The LORD God of heaven has given me all the kingdoms of the earth; and he has charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah.
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.
That confirms the word of his servant, and performs the counsel of his messengers; that says to Jerusalem, You shall be inhabited; and to the cities of Judah, You shall be built, and I will raise up its decayed places:
from Ezra 1:2
But my words and my statutes, which I commanded my servants the prophets, did they not take hold of your fathers? and they returned and said, Like as the LORD of hosts thought to do to us, according to our ways, and according to our doings, so has he dealt with us.
from Isaiah 44:26
Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.
from Zechariah 1:6
But the word of the Lord endures for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached to you.
from Matthew 24:35 · a strong link
The grass withers, the flower fades: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.
from I Peter 1:25
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.
Look, you are of nothing, and your work of nothing: an abomination is he that chooses you.
from I Corinthians 8:4
They that make them are like to them; so is every one that trusts in them.
from Isaiah 41:24 · a strong link
They that make them are like to them: so is every one that trusts in them.
from Psalms 115:8
Confounded be all they that serve carved images, that boast themselves of idols: worship him, all you gods.
from Psalms 135:18
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
But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love with which he loved us,
But you, O Lord, are a God full of compassion, and gracious, patience, and plenteous in mercy and truth.
from Ephesians 2:4
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 is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:
from I John 2:27
So the house of Israel shall know that I am the LORD their God from that day and forward.
from Hebrews 8:10
Then shall they know that I am the LORD their God, who caused them to be led into captivity among the pagans: but I have gathered them to their own land, and have left none of them any more there.
from Ezekiel 39:22
I say then, Has God cast away his people? By no means. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.
from Ezekiel 39:28
Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; as for the law, a Pharisee;
from Romans 11:1 · a strong link
I am truly a man who am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, yet brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, and taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers, and was zealous toward God, as you all are this day.
from Philippians 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.
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
Remember your leaders, who have spoken to you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conduct.
from Hebrews 13:17 · a strong link
Not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an example to you to follow us.
from Hebrews 13:7
For yourselves know how you ought to follow us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you;
from II Thessalonians 3:9
Be imitators of me, even as I also am of Christ.
from II Thessalonians 3:7
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.
But the LORD said to Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD sees not as man sees; for man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.
from I Chronicles 29:17
For the eyes of the LORD run back and forth throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Herein you have done foolishly: therefore from now on you shall have wars.
from I Samuel 16:7 · a strong link
For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.
from II Chronicles 16:9 · a strong link
Confess your sins to one another, and pray one for another, that you may be healed. The effective fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.
from I Peter 3:12
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:
But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
from I Corinthians 5:7
And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he said, Look, the Lamb of God!
from I Peter 1:19
I am sought of them that asked not for me; I am found of them that sought me not: I said, Here am I, here am I, to a nation that was not called by my name.
from John 1:36
That is the whole thread.
Every verse the cross-references reach from Ezra 1:2 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