a thread opens
I make a decree, that all they of the people of Israel, and of his priests and Levites, in my realm, which are minded of their own freewill to go up to Jerusalem, go with you.
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.
Then Darius the king made a decree, and search was made in the house of the rolls, where the treasures were laid up in Babylon.
from Ezra 7:13
Now therefore, if it seem good to the king, let there be search made in the king’s treasure house, which is there at Babylon, whether it be so, that a decree was made of Cyrus the king to build this house of God at Jerusalem, and let the king send his pleasure to us concerning this matter.
from Ezra 6:1 · a strong link
That search may be made in the book of the records of your fathers: so shall you find in the book of the records, and know that this city is a rebellious city, and hurtful to kings and provinces, and that they have moved sedition within the same of old time: for this reason was this city destroyed.
from Ezra 5:17
And when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain brothers to the rulers of the city, crying, These that have turned the world upside down have come here also;
from Ezra 4:15
a thread opens
Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.
And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
from Acts 20:21
And saying, Repent you: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
from Luke 24:47
I say to you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repents, more than over ninety-nine just persons, which need no repentance.
from Matthew 3:2
It was fitting that we should celebrate, and be glad: for this your brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.
from Luke 15:7 · a strong link
And you he has made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins;
from Luke 15:32
a thread opens
Be it known to you therefore, men and brothers, that through this man is preached to you the forgiveness of sins:
Then Peter said to them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
from Acts 13:38
While Peter yet spoke these words, the Holy Spirit fell on all them which heard the word.
from Acts 2:38 · a strong link
And God, who knows the hearts, bore them witness, giving them the Holy Spirit, even as he did to us;
from Acts 10:44
Long time therefore remained they speaking boldly in the Lord, who gave testimony to the word of his grace, and granted signs and wonders to be done by their hands.
from Acts 15:8
And now, Lord, look on their threatenings: and grant to your servants, that with all boldness they may speak your word,
from Acts 14:3
But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the apostles, and declared to them how he had seen the Lord in the way, and that he had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus.
from Acts 4:29
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.
Before the LORD; for he comes to judge the earth: with righteousness shall he judge the world, and the people with equity.
from Acts 17:31
Say among the pagans that the LORD reigns: the world also shall be established that it shall not be moved: he shall judge the people righteously.
from Psalms 98:9
O let the nations be glad and sing for joy: for you shall judge the people righteously, and govern the nations upon earth. Selah.
from Psalms 96:10
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,
And when they had bound him, they led him away, and delivered him to Pontius Pilate the governor.
from Acts 4:27 · a strong link
There were present at that season some that told him of the Galileans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.
from Matthew 27:2
For the time has come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?
from Luke 13:1
And that servant, which knew his lord’s will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.
from I Peter 4:17
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.
And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spoke.
from Acts 7:51
For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist.
from Acts 6:10
And the LORD said to him, Who has made man’s mouth? or who makes the mute, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the LORD?
from Luke 21:15
He that planted the ear, shall he not hear? he that formed the eye, shall he not see?
from Exodus 4:11 · a strong link
The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the LORD has made even both of them.
from Psalms 94:9 · a strong link
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
Of which I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given to me by the effective working of his power.
from Acts 9:15 · a strong link
If you continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which you have heard, and which was preached to every creature under heaven; of which I Paul am made a minister;
from Ephesians 3:7
Who are kept by the power of God through faith to salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
from Colossians 1:23
I pray not that you should take them out of the world, but that you should keep them from the evil.
from I Peter 1:5
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For yours is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
from John 17:15
That is the whole thread.
Every verse the cross-references reach from Ezra 7:13 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