a thread opens
It is he that sits upon the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are as grasshoppers; that stretches out the heavens as a curtain, and spreads them out as a tent to dwell in:
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.
He has made the earth by his power, he has established the world by his wisdom, and has stretched out the heavens by his discretion.
from Isaiah 40:22
Praise him, you heavens of heavens, and you waters above the heavens.
from Jeremiah 10:12
But will God indeed dwell on the earth? look, the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain you; how much less this house that I have built?
from Psalms 148:4 · a strong link
Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? says the LORD. Do not I fill heaven and earth? says the LORD.
from I Kings 8:27 · a strong link
Woe to them that seek deep to hide their counsel from the LORD, and their works are in the dark, and they say, Who sees us? and who knows us?
from Jeremiah 23:24
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.
For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;
from I Corinthians 8:4
Therefore he is able also to save them completely that come to God by him, seeing he ever lives to make intercession for them.
from I Timothy 2:5 · a strong link
In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.
from Hebrews 7:25
By whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
from Ephesians 3:12
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.
A new commandment I give to you, That you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.
from I John 3:16 · a strong link
You shall not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD.
from John 13:34 · a strong link
For he is the minister of God to you for good. But if you do that which is evil, be afraid; for he bears not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, an avenger to execute wrath upon him that does evil.
from Leviticus 19:18
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.
Remain in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it remain in the vine; no more can you, except you remain in me.
from I John 2:27
For this thing I begged the Lord three times, that it might depart from me.
from John 15:4
It repents me that I have set up Saul to be king: for he is turned back from following me, and has not performed my commandments. And it grieved Samuel; and he cried to the LORD all night.
from II Corinthians 12:8
Now go and strike Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.
from I Samuel 15:11
But of the cities of these people, who the LORD your God does give you for an inheritance, you shall save alive nothing that breathes:
from I Samuel 15:3 · a strong link
And all the plunder of these cities, and the cattle, the children of Israel took for a prey to themselves; but every man they struck with the edge of the sword, until they had destroyed them, neither left they any to breathe.
from Deuteronomy 20:16 · a strong link
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
Paul and Timothy, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:
from Acts 20:28
Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God,
from Philippians 1:1
Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained equally precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Savior Jesus Christ:
from Romans 1:1
We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak;
from II Peter 1:1
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.
And you, Solomon my son, know you the God of your father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the LORD searches all hearts, and understands all the imaginations of the thoughts: if you seek him, he will be found of you; but if you forsake him, he will cast you off for ever.
from I Chronicles 29:17 · a strong link
And they shall teach no more every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.
from I Chronicles 28:9 · a strong link
To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whoever believes in him shall receive remission of sins.
from Jeremiah 31:34
Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue to this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come:
from Acts 10:43
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 it was the preparation of the Passover, and about the sixth hour: and he said to the Jews, Look, your King!
from I Corinthians 5:7
Then Jesus came forth, wearing the crown of thorns, and the purple robe. And Pilate said to them, Look, the man!
from John 19:14
And the soldiers platted a crown of thorns, and put it on his head, and they put on him a purple robe,
from John 19:5
That is the whole thread.
Every verse the cross-references reach from Isaiah 40:22 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