a thread opens
And Joseph was brought down to Egypt; and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him of the hands of the Ishmeelites, which had brought him down there.
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 they sat down to eat bread: and they lifted up their eyes and looked, and a company of Ishmeelites came from Gilead with their camels bearing spicery and balm and myrrh, going to carry it down to Egypt.
from Genesis 39:1 · a strong link
And their father Israel said to them, If it must be so now, do this; take of the best fruits in the land in your vessels, and carry down the man a present, a little balm, and a little honey, spices, and myrrh, nuts, and almonds:
from Genesis 37:25 · a strong link
Is there no balm in Gilead; is there no physician there? why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered?
from Genesis 43:11
For thus says the LORD, Your bruise is incurable, and your wound is grievous.
from Jeremiah 8:22
a thread opens
Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.
And this is the testimony, that God has given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.
from Acts 20:21
Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? you have the words of eternal life.
from I John 5:11
It is the spirit that gives life; the flesh profits nothing: the words that I speak to you, they are spirit, and they are life.
from John 6:68
If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
from John 6:63 · a strong link
And after three days and a half the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them.
from Galatians 5:25
a thread opens
Be it known to you therefore, men and brothers, that through this man is preached to you the forgiveness of sins:
I write to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name’s sake.
from Acts 13:38
To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whoever believes in him shall receive remission of sins.
from I John 2:12 · a strong link
Who is a God like you, that pardons iniquity, and passes by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retains not his anger for ever, because he delights in mercy.
from Acts 10:43
In those days, and in that time, says the LORD, the iniquity of Israel shall be sought for, and there shall be none; and the sins of Judah, and they shall not be found: for I will pardon them whom I reserve.
from Micah 7:18 · a strong link
He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and you will cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.
from Jeremiah 50:20 · a strong link
For sin shall not have dominion over you: for you are not under the law, but under grace.
from Micah 7:19
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.
And he shall judge the world in righteousness, he shall minister judgment to the people in uprightness.
from Acts 17:31
Before the LORD; for he comes to judge the earth: with righteousness shall he judge the world, and the people with equity.
from Psalms 9:8
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
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
After this man rose up Judas of Galilee in the days of the taxing, and drew away much people after him: he also perished; and all, even as many as obeyed him, were dispersed.
from Luke 13:1
And it happened in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed.
from Acts 5:37
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.
To a land flowing with milk and honey: for I will not go up in the midst of you; for you are a stiff-necked people: lest I consume you in the way.
from Acts 7:51
And he said to him, If your presence go not with me, carry us not up hence.
from Exodus 33:3
There be many that say, Who will show us any good? LORD, lift up the light of your countenance upon us.
from Exodus 33:15
To the director of music on Neginoth, A Psalm or Song. God be merciful to us, and bless us; and cause his face to shine upon us; Selah.
from Psalms 4:6
Turn us again, O LORD God of hosts, cause your face to shine; and we shall be saved.
from Psalms 67:1
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
Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom you believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?
from Ephesians 3:7
But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses,
from I Corinthians 3:5
We are hard pressed on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;
from II Corinthians 6:4
My brothers, count it all joy when you fall into various temptations;
from II Corinthians 4:8
That is the whole thread.
Every verse the cross-references reach from Genesis 39:1 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