a thread opens
Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him in your hand; for I will make him a great nation.
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.
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 21:18
And as for Ishmael, I have heard you: Look, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation.
from Genesis 16:10 · a strong link
And also of the son of the slave woman will I make a nation, because he is your seed.
from Genesis 17:20
Now these are the generations of Ishmael, Abraham’s son, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah’s maidservant, bore to Abraham:
from Genesis 21:13
The tabernacles of Edom, and the Ishmaelites; of Moab, and the Hagarenes;
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.
Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:
from I Corinthians 8:4 · a strong link
Thus says the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.
from Deuteronomy 6:4 · a strong link
Who has worked and done it, calling the generations from the beginning? I the LORD, the first, and with the last; I am he.
from Isaiah 44:6 · a strong link
Remember the days of old, consider the years of many generations: ask your father, and he will show you; your elders, and they will tell you.
from Isaiah 41:4
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.
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, so that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
from I John 3:16 · a strong link
Namely, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, not imputing their trespasses to them; and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.
from John 3:16 · a strong link
For in him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.
from II Corinthians 5:19
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 cause we also thank God without ceasing, because, when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which is at work also in you that believe.
from I John 2:27
For the word of God is living and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and discerns the thoughts and intents of the heart.
from I Thessalonians 2:13 · a strong link
But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatever does make manifest is light.
from Hebrews 4:12 · a strong link
And now will I discover her lewdness in the sight of her lovers, and none shall deliver her out of my hand.
from Ephesians 5:13
And they shall deal with you hatefully, and shall take away all your labor, and shall leave you naked and bore: and the nakedness of your prostitution shall be discovered, both your lewdness and your prostitution.
from Hosea 2:10
And I will also give you into their hand, and they shall throw down your eminent place, and shall break down your high places: they shall strip you also of your clothes, and shall take your fair jewels, and leave you naked and bore.
from Ezekiel 23:29
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.
Take heed therefore to yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he has purchased with his own blood.
from I Corinthians 12:28
Paul and Timothy, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:
from Acts 20:28
To all that are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.
from Philippians 1:1
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, be with you all. Amen.
from Romans 1:7
But whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into eternal life.
from II Corinthians 13:14
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.
Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and says of him, Look, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!
from I Chronicles 29:17
Not as though the word of God has failed. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel:
from John 1:47
And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God.
from Romans 9:6 · a strong link
Know you therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.
from Galatians 6:16 · a strong link
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:
The next day John saw Jesus coming to him, and said, Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.
from I Corinthians 5:7
He shall see of the toil of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.
from John 1:29
Surely he has borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, struck of God, and afflicted.
from Isaiah 53:11
That is the whole thread.
Every verse the cross-references reach from Genesis 21:18 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