a thread opens
Now, look, you trust upon the staff of this bruised reed, even upon Egypt, on which if a man lean, it will go into his hand, and pierce it: so is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all that trust on 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.
That walk to go down into Egypt, and have not asked at my mouth; to strengthen themselves in the strength of Pharaoh, and to trust in the shadow of Egypt!
from II Kings 18:21
And he shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall ask counsel for him after the judgment of Urim before the LORD: at his word shall they go out, and at his word they shall come in, both he, and all the children of Israel with him, even all the congregation.
from Isaiah 30:2
And when Saul inquired of the LORD, the LORD answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets.
from Numbers 27:21 · a strong link
a thread opens
Then Moses said to Aaron, This is it that the LORD spoke, saying, I will be sanctified in them that come near me, and before all the people I will be glorified. And Aaron held his peace.
And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, that he shall follow after them; and I will be honored upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host; that the Egyptians may know that I am the LORD. And they did so.
from Leviticus 10:3
What if God, willing to show his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much patience the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction:
from Exodus 14:4 · a strong link
Who knows the power of your anger? even according to your fear, so is your wrath.
from Romans 9:22
And if you will not yet for all this listen to me, then I will punish you seven times more for your sins.
from Psalms 90:11
Seven times a day do I praise you because of your righteous judgments.
from Leviticus 26:18
At midnight I will rise to give thanks to you because of your righteous judgments.
from Psalms 119:164
a thread opens
Now to him that is able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,
My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.
from Jude 1:24
All that the Father gives me shall come to me; and him that comes to me I will in no wise cast out.
from John 10:29
Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return to the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
from John 6:37
For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.
from Isaiah 55:7
But she that lives in pleasure is dead while she lives.
from Luke 15:24
a thread opens
Woe to them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the rebellion of Korah.
Which have forsaken the right way, and have gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;
from Jude 1:11 · a strong link
And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to revel in the daytime. Spots they are and blemishes, reveling with their own deceivings while they feast with you;
from II Peter 2:15
Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and sensuality, not in strife and envying.
from II Peter 2:13 · a strong link
Envy, murders, drunkenness, orgies, and such like: of which I tell you before, as I have also told you formerly, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
from Romans 13:13 · a strong link
a thread opens
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
from Luke 2:14
Saying, If you had known, even you, at least in this your day, the things which belong to your peace! but now they are hidden from your eyes.
from Romans 5:1
O that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider their latter end!
from Luke 19:42
a thread opens
And shall not God give justice to his own elect, which cry day and night to him, though he bear long with them?
The Lord is not slow concerning his promise, as some men count slowness; but is patience toward us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
from Luke 18:7
But you, O Lord, are a God full of compassion, and gracious, patience, and plenteous in mercy and truth.
from II Peter 3:9 · a strong link
He has made his wonderful works to be remembered: the LORD is gracious and full of compassion.
from Psalms 86:15
For you, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy to all them that call upon you.
from Psalms 111:4
Let Israel hope in the LORD: for with the LORD there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption.
from Psalms 86:5
Moreover the law entered, so that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:
from Psalms 130:7
a thread opens
If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brothers, and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.
He that loves his life shall lose it; and he that hates his life in this world shall keep it to life eternal.
from Luke 14:26 · a strong link
And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.
from John 12:25
And he that takes not his cross, and follows after me, is not worthy of me.
from Luke 9:23 · a strong link
And when he had called the people to him with his disciples also, he said to them, Whoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
from Matthew 10:38 · a strong link
Enter in at the narrow gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leads to destruction, and many there are who go in thereat:
from Mark 8:34
That is the whole thread.
Every verse the cross-references reach from II Kings 18:21 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