a thread opens
And he said, I will certainly return to you according to the time of life; and, look, Sarah your wife shall have a son. And Sarah heard it in the tent door, which was behind him.
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.
For Sarah conceived, and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him.
from Genesis 18:10 · a strong link
For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a slave woman, the other by a free woman.
from Genesis 21:2 · a strong link
And Hagar bore Abram a son: and Abram called his son’s name, which Hagar bore, Ishmael.
from Galatians 4:22 · a strong link
Now these are the generations of Ishmael, Abraham’s son, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah’s maidservant, bore to Abraham:
from Genesis 16:15
And the angel of the LORD said to her, I will multiply your seed exceedingly, that it shall not be numbered for multitude.
from Genesis 25:12
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, your redeemer, and he that formed you from the womb, I am the LORD that makes all things; that stretches forth the heavens alone; that spreads abroad the earth by myself;
from I Corinthians 8:4
My hand also has laid the foundation of the earth, and my right hand has spanned the heavens: when I call to them, they stand up together.
from Isaiah 44:24
For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it.
from Isaiah 48:13
And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.
from Exodus 20:11 · a strong link
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.
But God commends his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
from I John 3:16 · a strong link
For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.
from Romans 5:8 · a strong link
Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,
from Romans 5:6
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.
But the Helper, which is the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatever I have said to you.
from I John 2:27 · a strong link
Guard the good deposit entrusted to you by the Holy Spirit which dwells in us.
from John 14:26
For if you live after the flesh, you shall die: but if you through the Spirit do put to death the deeds of the body, you shall live.
from II Timothy 1:14
That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
from Romans 8:13 · a strong link
To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,
from Romans 8:4
And has put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,
from Hebrews 12:23
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.
And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
from I Corinthians 12:28 · a strong link
How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?
from Ephesians 4:11
And he said to them, Go into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
from Romans 10:14 · a strong link
But I say, Have they not heard? Yes truly, their sound went into all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world.
from Mark 16:15
First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.
from Romans 10:18
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
And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searches the inmost thoughts and hearts: and I will give to every one of you according to your works.
from I Samuel 16:7
But Jesus did not commit himself to them, because he knew all men,
When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone.
from John 2:24
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:
Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, and in the seventh day shall be a feast to the LORD.
from I Corinthians 5:7
Seven days shall you eat unleavened bread; even the first day you shall put away leaven out of your houses: for whoever eats leavened bread from the first day until the seventh day, that soul shall be cut off from Israel.
from Exodus 13:6
You shall keep the feast of unleavened bread: (you shall eat unleavened bread seven days, as I commanded you, in the time appointed of the month Abib; for in it you came out from Egypt: and none shall appear before me empty:)
from Exodus 12:15 · a strong link
That is the whole thread.
Every verse the cross-references reach from Genesis 18:10 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