a thread opens
But the cormorant and the bittern shall possess it; the owl also and the raven shall dwell in it: and he shall stretch out upon it the line of confusion, and the stones of emptiness.
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 he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great has fallen, has fallen, and has become the habitation of demons, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.
from Isaiah 34:11
And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon has fallen, has fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her sexual immorality.
from Revelation of John 18:2 · a strong link
And indeed, here comes a chariot of men, with a couple of horsemen. And he answered and said, Babylon has fallen, has fallen; and all the carved images of her gods he has broken to the ground.
from Revelation of John 14:8 · a strong link
a thread opens
Then Moses said to Aaron, This is it that the LORD spoke, saying, I will be sanctified in them that come near me, and before all the people I will be glorified. And Aaron held his peace.
And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, that he shall follow after them; and I will be honored upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host; that the Egyptians may know that I am the LORD. And they did so.
from Leviticus 10:3
For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth.
from Exodus 14:4
The LORD has made all things for himself: yes, even the wicked for the day of evil.
from Romans 9:17
This people have I formed for myself; they shall show forth my praise.
from Proverbs 16:4 · a strong link
By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.
from Isaiah 43:21
O give thanks to the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endures for ever.
from Hebrews 13:15
a thread opens
Now to him that is able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,
Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,
from Jude 1:24
And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me.
from Hebrews 13:20
For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he swore by himself,
from Jeremiah 32:40
The oath which he swore to our father Abraham,
from Hebrews 6:13
Which covenant he made with Abraham, and his oath to Isaac;
from Luke 1:73
a thread opens
Woe to them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the rebellion of Korah.
The look on their faces bears witness against them; and they declare their sin as Sodom, they hide it not. Woe to their soul! for they have rewarded evil to themselves.
from Jude 1:11
But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the LORD exceedingly.
from Isaiah 3:9 · a strong link
And the LORD said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous;
from Genesis 13:13
For we will destroy this place, because the cry of them is grown great before the face of the LORD; and the LORD has sent us to destroy it.
from Genesis 18:20
a thread opens
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.
from Luke 2:14 · a strong link
As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.
from Luke 1:79
I have come a light into the world, so that whoever believes on me should not remain in darkness.
from John 9:5 · a strong link
a thread opens
And shall not God give justice to his own elect, which cry day and night to him, though he bear long with them?
Now she that is a widow indeed, and desolate, trusts in God, and continues in supplications and prayers night and day.
from Luke 18:7
Honor widows that are widows indeed.
from I Timothy 5:5 · a strong link
Cursed be he that perverts the judgment of the stranger, fatherless, and widow. And all the people shall say, Amen.
from I Timothy 5:3
Hear this, please, you heads of the house of Jacob, and princes of the house of Israel, that abhor judgment, and pervert all equity.
from Deuteronomy 27:19
Your princes are rebellious, and companions of thieves: every one loves gifts, and follows after rewards: they judge not the fatherless, neither does the cause of the widow come to them.
from Micah 3:9
And you shall take no gift: for the gift blinds the wise, and perverts the words of the righteous.
from Isaiah 1:23 · a strong link
a thread opens
If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brothers, and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.
Whom have I in heaven but you? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside you.
from Luke 14:26 · a strong link
Because your loving devotion is better than life, my lips shall praise you.
from Psalms 73:25 · a strong link
O Lord, open you my lips; and my mouth shall show forth your praise.
from Psalms 63:3
That I may show forth all your praise in the gates of the daughter of Zion: I will rejoice in your salvation.
from Psalms 51:15
And my soul shall be joyful in the LORD: it shall rejoice in his salvation.
from Psalms 9:14
That is the whole thread.
Every verse the cross-references reach from Isaiah 34:11 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