a thread opens
And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after dishonest gain, and took bribes, and perverted judgment.
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.
You shall not wrest judgment; you shall not respect persons, neither take a gift: for a gift does blind the eyes of the wise, and pervert the words of the righteous.
from I Samuel 8:3 · a strong link
Surely oppression makes a wise man mad; and a gift destroys the heart.
from Deuteronomy 16:19
A wicked man takes a gift out of the bosom to pervert the ways of judgment.
from Ecclesiastes 7:7
A gift is as a precious stone in the eyes of him that has it: wherever it turns, it prospers.
from Proverbs 17:23
And you shall take no gift: for the gift blinds the wise, and perverts the words of the righteous.
from Proverbs 17:8
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.
Know therefore this day, and consider it in your heart, that the LORD he is God in heaven above, and upon the earth beneath: there is none else.
from I Corinthians 8:4
And as soon as we had heard these things, our hearts did melt, neither did there remain any more courage in any man, because of you: for the LORD your God, he is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath.
from Deuteronomy 4:39 · a strong link
And the men of Ai struck of them about thirty-six men: for they chased them from before the gate even to Shebarim, and struck them in the going down: therefore the hearts of the people melted, and became as water.
from Joshua 2:11 · a strong link
And upon them that are left alive of you I will send a faintness into their hearts in the lands of their enemies; and the sound of a shaken leaf shall chase them; and they shall flee, as fleeing from a sword; and they shall fall when none pursues.
from Joshua 7:5
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.
As the Father knows me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.
from I John 3:16
For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;
from John 10:15
One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
from I Timothy 2:5
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.
Being born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, by the word of God, which lives and remains for ever.
from I John 2:27
For the word of God is living and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and discerns the thoughts and intents of the heart.
from I Peter 1:23 · a strong link
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 Hebrews 4:12 · a strong link
But the LORD said to Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD sees not as man sees; for man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.
from Jeremiah 17:10 · a strong link
All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but the LORD weighs the spirits.
from I Samuel 16:7 · a strong link
There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end are the ways of death.
from Proverbs 16:2
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.
Take heed therefore to yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he has purchased with his own blood.
from I Corinthians 12:28
An overseer then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behavior, given to hospitality, apt to teach;
from Acts 20:28
Use hospitality one to another without grumbling.
from I Timothy 3:2 · a strong link
Do all things without grumbling and arguing:
from I Peter 4:9 · a strong link
When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders about this question.
from Philippians 2:14
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.
For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conduct in the world, and more abundantly toward you.
from I Chronicles 29:17
Who is a wise man and endowed with understanding among you? let him show by his good conduct his works with meekness of wisdom.
from II Corinthians 1:12
Tell the daughter of Zion, Look, your King comes to you, meek, and sitting upon a donkey, and a colt the foal of a donkey.
from James 3:13
Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: look, your King comes to you: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon a donkey, and upon a colt the foal of a donkey.
from Matthew 21:5 · a strong link
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:
That you put off your old self, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;
from I Corinthians 5:7
And delivered just Lot, troubled with the filthy conduct of the wicked:
from Ephesians 4:22
And said, please, brothers, do not so wickedly.
from II Peter 2:7
That is the whole thread.
Every verse the cross-references reach from I Samuel 8:3 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