The Vigil

from I Samuel 16:9

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.

a thread opens

I Samuel 16:9

Then Jesse made Shammah to pass by. And he said, Neither has the LORD chosen this.

I Samuel 17:13

And the three eldest sons of Jesse went and followed Saul to the battle: and the names of his three sons that went to the battle were Eliab the firstborn, and next to him Abinadab, and the third Shammah.

from I Samuel 16:9

Isaiah 37:23

Whom have you reproached and blasphemed? and against whom have you exalted your voice, and lifted up your eyes on high? even against the Holy One of Israel.

from I Chronicles 20:7


a thread opens

Acts 20:21

Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.

I Kings 8:47

Yet if they shall bethink themselves in the land where they were carried captives, and repent, and make supplication to you in the land of them that carried them captives, saying, We have sinned, and have done perversely, we have committed wickedness;

from II Corinthians 7:10 · a strong link

Ezra 9:6

And said, O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to you, my God: for our iniquities are increased over our head, and our trespass is grown up to the heavens.

from I Kings 8:47


a thread opens

Acts 13:38

Be it known to you therefore, men and brothers, that through this man is preached to you the forgiveness of sins:

II Corinthians 5:18

And all things are of God, who has reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and has given to us the ministry of reconciliation;

from Acts 13:38

II Corinthians 5:19

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 II Corinthians 5:18

Psalms 109:21

But do you for me, O GOD the Lord, for your name’s sake: because your mercy is good, deliver me.

from Psalms 25:11


a thread opens

Acts 17:31

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.

Romans 2:16

In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.

from Acts 17:31

Acts 10:42

And he commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead.

from Romans 2:16 · a strong link

II Corinthians 5:10

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he has done, whether it be good or bad.

from Acts 10:42


a thread opens

Acts 4:27

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,

Matthew 27:2

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

I Timothy 6:13

I give you charge in the sight of God, who gives life to all things, and before Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession;

from Matthew 27:2

I Timothy 5:21

I charge you before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels, that you observe these things without favoritism, doing nothing by partiality.

from I Timothy 6:13 · a strong link

Matthew 25:41

Then shall he say also to them on the left hand, Depart from me, you cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:

from I Timothy 5:21


a thread opens

Acts 7:51

You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, you do always resist the Holy Spirit: as your fathers did, so do you.

Romans 2:25

For circumcision truly profits, if you keep the law: but if you are a breaker of the law, your circumcision is made uncircumcision.

from Acts 7:51

Jeremiah 4:4

Circumcise yourselves to the LORD, and take away the foreskins of your heart, you men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem: lest my fury come forth like fire, and burn that none can quench it, because of the evil of your doings.

from Romans 2:25

Amos 5:6

Seek the LORD, and you shall live; lest he break out like fire in the house of Joseph, and devour it, and there be none to quench it in Bethel.

from Jeremiah 4:4

Amos 5:4

For thus says the LORD to the house of Israel, Seek me, and you shall live:

from Amos 5:6

I Chronicles 28:9

And you, Solomon my son, know you the God of your father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the LORD searches all hearts, and understands all the imaginations of the thoughts: if you seek him, he will be found of you; but if you forsake him, he will cast you off for ever.

from Amos 5:4


a thread opens

Acts 22:21

And he said to me, Depart: for I will send you far hence to the Gentiles.

Acts 9:15

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

II Timothy 4:16

At my first defense no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge.

from Acts 9:15

Acts 7:60

And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

from II Timothy 4:16 · a strong link

Acts 21:5

And when we had accomplished those days, we departed and went our way; and they all brought us on our way, with wives and children, till we were out of the city: and we kneeled down on the shore, and prayed.

from Acts 7:60

Acts 20:36

And when he had thus spoken, he kneeled down, and prayed with them all.

from Acts 21:5 · a strong link

Luke 22:41

And he was withdrawn from them about a stone’s cast, and kneeled down, and prayed,

from Acts 20:36

That is the whole thread.

Every verse the cross-references reach from I Samuel 16:9 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