The Vigil

from Genesis 16:5

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

Genesis 16:5

And Sarai said to Abram, My wrong be upon you: I have given my maid into your bosom; and when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her eyes: the LORD judge between me and you.

Genesis 31:53

The God of Abraham, and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge between us. And Jacob swore by the fear of his father Isaac.

from Genesis 16:5 · a strong link

Joshua 24:2

And Joshua said to all the people, Thus says the LORD God of Israel, Your fathers dwelt on the other side of the flood in ancient times, even Terah, the father of Abraham, and the father of Nachor: and they served other gods.

from Genesis 31:53

Genesis 31:30

And now, though you would needs be gone, because you sore longed after your father’s house, yet why have you stolen my gods?

from Joshua 24:2

Judges 18:24

And he said, You have taken away my gods which I made, and the priest, and you have gone away: and what have I more? and what is this that you say to me, What ails you?

from Genesis 31:30 · a strong link


a thread opens

I Corinthians 8:4

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.

Job 9:19

If I speak of strength, look, he is strong: and if of judgment, who shall set me a time to plead?

from Job 9:33

Job 9:4

He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength: who has hardened himself against him, and has prospered?

from Job 9:19


a thread opens

I John 3:16

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.

John 13:34

A new commandment I give to you, That you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.

from I John 3:16 · a strong link

I Thessalonians 4:9

But as for brotherly love you need not that I write to you: for you yourselves are taught of God to love one another.

from John 13:34


a thread opens

I John 2:27

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.

John 16:13

However when he, the Spirit of truth, has come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come.

from I John 2:27

I John 4:6

We are of God: he that knows God hears us; he that is not of God hears not us. By this we know the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.

from John 16:13 · a strong link

John 18:37

Pilate therefore said to him, Are you a king then? Jesus answered, You say that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, so that I should bear witness to the truth. Every one that is of the truth hears my voice.

from I John 4:6

Revelation of John 3:14

And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things says the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;

from John 18:37

Revelation of John 1:11

Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What you see, write in a book, and send it to the seven churches in Asia; to Ephesus, and to Smyrna, and to Pergamum, and to Thyatira, and to Sardis, and to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea.

from Revelation of John 22:13


a thread opens

I Corinthians 12:28

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.

Romans 12:6

Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;

from I Corinthians 12:28

I Corinthians 13:2

And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not love, I am nothing.

from Romans 12:6

Matthew 17:20

And Jesus said to them, Because of your unbelief: for truly I say to you, If you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you shall say to this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible to you.

from I Corinthians 13:2 · a strong link

Mark 11:23

For truly I say to you, That whoever shall say to this mountain, Be removed, and be cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he says shall happen; he shall have whatever he says.

from Matthew 17:20 · a strong link

Psalms 37:4

Delight yourself also in the LORD; and he shall give you the desires of your heart.

from Mark 11:23 · a strong link


a thread opens

I Chronicles 29:17

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.

I Chronicles 28:9

And you, Solomon my son, know you the God of your father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the LORD searches all hearts, and understands all the imaginations of the thoughts: if you seek him, he will be found of you; but if you forsake him, he will cast you off for ever.

from I Chronicles 29:17 · a strong link

Genesis 6:5

And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

from I Chronicles 28:9 · a strong link

Mark 7:21

For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, sexual immorality, murders,

from Genesis 6:5

Galatians 5:19

Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality,

from Mark 7:21 · a strong link


a thread opens

I Corinthians 5:7

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:

Deuteronomy 21:21

And all the men of his city shall stone him with stones, that he die: so shall you put evil away from among you; and all Israel shall hear, and fear.

from I Corinthians 5:13

Deuteronomy 13:10

And you shall stone him with stones, that he die; because he has sought to thrust you away from the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage.

from Deuteronomy 21:21

That is the whole thread.

Every verse the cross-references reach from Genesis 16:5 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