a thread opens
As birds flying, so will the LORD of hosts defend Jerusalem; defending also he will deliver it; and passing over he will preserve it.
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.
For I will defend this city to save it for my own sake, and for my servant David’s sake.
from Isaiah 31:5
And I will deliver you and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria: and I will defend this city.
from Isaiah 37:35 · a strong link
For thus has the LORD spoken to me, Like as the lion and the young lion roaring on his prey, when a multitude of shepherds is called forth against him, he will not be afraid of their voice, nor abase himself for the noise of them: so shall the LORD of hosts come down to fight for mount Zion, and for its hill.
from Isaiah 38:6
The lion has roared, who will not fear? the Lord GOD has spoken, who can but prophesy?
from Isaiah 31:4 · a strong link
But you gave the Nazirites wine to drink; and commanded the prophets, saying, Prophesy not.
from Amos 3:8
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.
One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
from I Corinthians 8:4
Have we not all one father? has not one God created us? why do we deal treacherously every man against his brother, by profaning the covenant of our fathers?
from Ephesians 4:6
But now, O LORD, you are our father; we are the clay, and you our potter; and we all are the work of your hand.
from Malachi 2:10
Arise, and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will cause you to hear my words.
from Isaiah 64:8 · a strong link
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.
In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, so that we might live through him.
from I John 3:16 · a strong link
I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.
from I John 4:9
And no man has ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man who is in heaven.
from John 6:51
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
And it happened about an eight days after these sayings, he took Peter and John and James, and went up into a mountain to pray.
from II Peter 1:16
And it happened, as he was alone praying, his disciples were with him: and he asked them, saying, Whom say the people that I am?
from Luke 9:28
And Jesus went out, and his disciples, into the towns of Caesarea Philippi: and by the way he asked his disciples, saying to them, Whom do men say that I am?
from Luke 9:18
When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?
from Mark 8:27
I saw in the night visions, and one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.
from Matthew 16:13
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
And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone;
from Ephesians 3:5
This is the stone which was set at nothing of you builders, which has become the cornerstone.
from Ephesians 2:20
Therefore thus says the Lord GOD, Look, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believes will not panic.
from Acts 4:11
The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and to him shall the gathering of the people be.
from Isaiah 28:16 · a strong link
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 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 Chronicles 29:17
For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God to salvation to every one that believes; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
from Hebrews 4:12 · a strong link
For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but to us which are saved it is the power of God.
from Romans 1:16
But the natural man receives not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness to him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
from I Corinthians 1:18 · 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:
For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread.
from I Corinthians 5:7
So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.
from I Corinthians 10:17 · a strong link
But now are they many members, yet but one body.
from Romans 12:5 · a strong link
That is the whole thread.
Every verse the cross-references reach from Isaiah 31:5 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