a thread opens
And when Abner was returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside in the gate to speak with him quietly, and struck him there in the stomach, that he died, for the blood of Asahel his brother.
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 LORD shall return his blood upon his own head, who fell upon two men more righteous and better than he, and slew them with the sword, my father David not its knowing, namely, Abner the son of Ner, commander of the army of Israel, and Amasa the son of Jether, commander of the army of Judah.
from II Samuel 3:27
That the cruelty done to the seventy sons of Jerubbaal might come, and their blood be laid upon Abimelech their brother, which slew them; and upon the men of Shechem, which aided him in the killing of his brothers.
from I Kings 2:32 · a strong link
But when Esther came before the king, he commanded by letters that his wicked device, which he devised against the Jews, should return upon his own head, and that he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows.
from Judges 9:24
His mischief shall return upon his own head, and his violent dealing shall come down upon his own pate.
from Esther 9:25 · a strong link
He devises mischief upon his bed; he sets himself in a way that is not good; he abhors not evil.
from Psalms 7:16
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
And this is life eternal, so that they might know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.
from Deuteronomy 6:4
O righteous Father, the world has not known you: but I have known you, and these have known that you have sent me.
from John 17:3 · a strong link
For the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God.
from John 17:25
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.
And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. To him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,
from I John 3:16 · a strong link
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 Revelation of John 1:5 · a strong link
And he said to me, These sayings are faithful and true: and the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his angel to show to his servants the things which must shortly be done.
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 we have not followed cleverly devised myths, when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty.
from I John 2:27
Look, he comes with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.
from II Peter 1:16
For dogs have surrounded me: the assembly of the wicked have enclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet.
from Revelation of John 1:7 · a strong link
To the director of music upon Aijeleth Shahar, A Psalm of David. My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? why are you so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?
from Psalms 22:16
We roar all like bears, and mourn sore like doves: we look for judgment, but there is none; for salvation, but it is far off from us.
from Psalms 22:1
Like a crane or a swallow, so did I chatter: I did mourn as a dove: my eyes fail with looking upward: O LORD, I am oppressed; undertake for me.
from Isaiah 59:11 · a strong link
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.
Greet all your leaders, and all the saints. They of Italy greet you.
from I Corinthians 12:28 · a strong link
And found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, lately come from Italy, with his wife Priscilla; (because that Claudius had commanded all Jews to depart from Rome:) and came to them.
from Hebrews 13:24
And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him to them, and expounded to him the way of God more perfectly.
from Acts 18:2 · a strong link
Truly I say to you, Whoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter it.
from Acts 18:26
And said, Truly I say to you, Except you be converted, and become as little children, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
from Mark 10:15
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.
You are witnesses, and God also, how holy and righteous and blamelessly we behaved ourselves among you that believe:
from I Chronicles 29:17
And when they had come to him, he said to them, You know, from the first day that I came into Asia, after what manner I have been with you at all seasons,
from I Thessalonians 2:10
And this continued for two years; so that all they which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.
from Acts 20:18 · a strong link
This you know, that all they which are in Asia be turned away from me; of whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes.
from Acts 19:10
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:
But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
from I Corinthians 5:7
Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:
from I Peter 1:19
And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.
from I Peter 2:22 · a strong link
That is the whole thread.
Every verse the cross-references reach from II Samuel 3:27 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