a thread opens
Then said Eliakim and Shebna and Joah to Rabshakeh, Speak, please, to your servants in the Syrian language; for we understand it: and speak not to us in the Jews’ language, in the ears of the people on the wall.
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.
Then spoke the Chaldeans to the king in Syriack, O king, live for ever: tell your servants the dream, and we will show the interpretation.
from Isaiah 36:11
Then these presidents and princes assembled together to the king, and said thus to him, King Darius, live for ever.
from Daniel 2:4
And said to the king, Let the king live for ever: why should not my countenance be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers’ tombs, lies waste, and its gates are consumed with fire?
from Daniel 6:6
And Ahaz slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city, even in Jerusalem: but they brought him not into the tombs of the kings of Israel: and Hezekiah his son reigned in his place.
from Nehemiah 2:3
a thread opens
Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.
And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commands all men everywhere to repent:
from Acts 20:21
Or despise you the riches of his goodness and forbearance and patience; not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?
from Acts 17:30
In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;
from Romans 2:4 · a strong link
Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption in Christ Jesus:
from Ephesians 1:7 · a strong link
Who gave himself for us, so that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify to himself a people for his own possession, zealous of good works.
from Romans 3:24
a thread opens
Be it known to you therefore, men and brothers, that through this man is preached to you the forgiveness of sins:
Then Peter said to them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
from Acts 13:38
Then drew near to him all the tax collectors and sinners to hear him.
from Acts 2:38
And there are last which shall be first, and there are first which shall be last.
from Luke 15:1
But many that are first shall be last; and the last first.
from Luke 13:30
So the last shall be first, and the first last. [Not in the earliest manuscripts. King James also had: “for many be called, but few chosen.”]
from Mark 10:31
And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine?
from Matthew 20:16
a thread opens
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.
When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:
from Acts 17:31
But the LORD shall endure for ever: he has prepared his throne for judgment.
from Matthew 25:31
Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence: a fire shall devour before him, and it shall be very tempestuous around him.
from Psalms 9:7
a thread opens
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,
By stretching forth your hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of your holy child Jesus.
from Acts 4:27 · a strong link
Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.
from Acts 4:30
And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour.
from Acts 3:6
And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the demons are subject to us through your name.
from Acts 16:18
a thread opens
You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, you do always resist the Holy Spirit: as your fathers did, so do you.
Circumcise therefore your heart, and be no more stiff-necked.
from Acts 7:51 · a strong link
O Jerusalem, wash your heart from wickedness, so that you may be saved. How long shall your vain thoughts lodge within you?
from Deuteronomy 10:16
Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you.
from Jeremiah 4:14
Therefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable to you, and break off your sins by righteousness, and your iniquities by showing mercy to the poor; if it may be a lengthening of your tranquillity.
from Acts 8:22
Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we do not perish?
from Daniel 4:27
a thread opens
And he said to me, Depart: for I will send you far hence to the Gentiles.
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
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
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
But I say to you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
from Acts 7:60 · a strong link
If you meet your enemy’s ox or his donkey going astray, you shall surely bring it back to him again.
from Matthew 5:44
You shall not see your brother’s ox or his sheep go astray, and hide yourself from them: you shall in any case bring them again to your brother.
from Exodus 23:4
That is the whole thread.
Every verse the cross-references reach from Isaiah 36:11 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