a thread opens
And I went out after him, and struck him, and delivered it out of his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and struck him, and slew 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.
Thus says the LORD; As the shepherd takes out of the mouth of the lion two legs, or a piece of an ear; so shall the children of Israel be taken out that dwell in Samaria in the corner of a bed, and in Damascus in a couch.
from I Samuel 17:35
That lie upon beds of ivory, and stretch themselves upon their couches, and eat the lambs out of the flock, and the calves out of the midst of the stall;
from Amos 3:12
Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord GOD to the shepherds; Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the flocks?
from Amos 6:4
The priests said not, Where is the LORD? and they that handle the law knew me not: the pastors also transgressed against me, and the prophets prophesied by Baal, and walked after things that do not profit.
from Ezekiel 34:2
The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so: and what will you do in its end?
from Jeremiah 2:8
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.
Look, you are of nothing, and your work of nothing: an abomination is he that chooses you.
from I Corinthians 8:4
They that make them are like to them; so is every one that trusts in them.
from Isaiah 41:24 · a strong link
They that make them are like to them: so is every one that trusts in them.
from Psalms 115:8
But they are altogether brutish and foolish: the stock is a doctrine of vanities.
from Psalms 135:18
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.
But God commends his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
from I John 3:16 · a strong link
Who was delivered for our offenses, and was raised again for our justification.
from Romans 5:8 · a strong link
But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
from Romans 4:25
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
Neither give heed to myths and endless genealogies, which promote controversies, rather than godly building up in faith: so do.
from II Peter 1:16
And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned to myths.
from I Timothy 1:4
For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them.
from II Timothy 4:4
Your own wickedness shall correct you, and your backslidings shall reprove you: know therefore and see that it is an evil thing and bitter, that you have forsaken the LORD your God, and that my fear is not in you, says the Lord GOD of hosts.
from Proverbs 1:32
Your way and your doings have procured these things to you; this is your wickedness, because it is bitter, because it reaches to your heart.
from Jeremiah 2:19
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.
Which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it is now revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;
from I Corinthians 12:28
But, beloved, remember the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ;
from Ephesians 3:5 · a strong link
That you may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Savior:
from Jude 1:17 · a strong link
For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them.
from II Peter 3:2
If I had not come and spoken to them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloak for their sin.
from II Peter 2:21
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.
I the LORD search the heart, I try the inmost thoughts, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.
from I Chronicles 29:17 · a strong link
Do not be deceived; God is not mocked: for whatever a man sows, that shall he also reap.
from Jeremiah 17:10
Perversity is in his heart, he devises mischief continually; he sows discord.
from Galatians 6:7 · a strong link
A heart that devises wicked imaginations, feet that are swift in running to mischief,
from Proverbs 6:14
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:
And I saw, and, look, in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.
from I Corinthians 5:7
Arise and thresh, O daughter of Zion: for I will make your horn iron, and I will make your hoofs bronze: and you shall beat in pieces many people: and I will consecrate their gain to the LORD, and their possessions to the Lord of the whole earth.
And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.
from Micah 4:13
That is the whole thread.
Every verse the cross-references reach from I Samuel 17:35 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