a thread opens
I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting.
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 when he had thus spoken, one of the officers which stood by struck Jesus with the palm of his hand, saying, Answer you the high priest so?
from Isaiah 50:6
And the high priest Ananias commanded them that stood by him to strike him on the mouth.
from John 18:22
But Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah went near, and struck Micaiah on the cheek, and said, Which way went the Spirit of the LORD from me to speak to you?
from Acts 23:2
He gives his cheek to him that smites him: he is filled full with reproach.
from I Kings 22:24
They have opened their mouth at me; they have struck me upon the cheek reproachfully; they have gathered themselves together against me.
from Lamentations 3:30
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.
Thus says the LORD, your redeemer, and he that formed you from the womb, I am the LORD that makes all things; that stretches forth the heavens alone; that spreads abroad the earth by myself;
from I Corinthians 8:4
I have made the earth, and created man upon it: I, even my hands, have stretched out the heavens, and all their host have I commanded.
from Isaiah 44:24 · a strong link
For thus says the LORD that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he has established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the LORD; and there is none else.
from Isaiah 45:12
Thus says God the LORD, he that created the heavens, and stretched them out; he that spread forth the earth, and that which comes out of it; he that gives breath to the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk in it:
from Isaiah 45:18 · 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.
And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us, and has given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a fragrant offering.
from I John 3:16 · a strong link
I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
from Ephesians 5:2 · a strong link
But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified to me, and I to the world.
from Galatians 2:20 · a strong link
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 he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy.
from Luke 9:28
And after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, and brought them up into a high mountain apart,
from Matthew 26:37
And he suffered no man to follow him, save Peter, and James, and John the brother of James.
from Matthew 17:1
But Peter put them all forth, and kneeled down, and prayed; and turning him to the body said, Tabitha, arise. And she opened her eyes: and when she saw Peter, she sat up.
from Mark 5:37
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.
Greet all your leaders, and all the saints. They of Italy greet you.
from I Corinthians 12:28 · a strong link
Remember your leaders, who have spoken to you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conduct.
from Hebrews 13:24 · a strong link
And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held:
from Hebrews 13:7
And the priest shall put some of the blood upon the horns of the altar of sweet incense before the Lord, who is in the tent of meeting; and shall pour all the blood of the young bull at the base of the altar of the burnt offering, which is at the door of the tent of meeting.
And he slew it; and Moses took the blood, and put it upon the horns of the altar all around with his finger, and purified the altar, and poured the blood at the base of the altar, and sanctified it, to make reconciliation upon it.
from Leviticus 4:7 · 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 this cause we also thank God without ceasing, because, when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which is at work also in you that believe.
from Hebrews 4:12 · a strong link
Immediately therefore I sent to you; and you have well done that you have come. Now therefore are we all here present before God, to hear all things that are commanded you of God.
from I Thessalonians 2:13
Be it known therefore to you, that the salvation of God is sent to the Gentiles, and that they will hear it.
from Acts 10:33
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:
But God judges those outside. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.
from I Corinthians 5:7
And that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams, shall be put to death; because he has spoken to turn you away from the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed you out of the house of bondage, to thrust you out of the way which the LORD your God commanded you to walk in. So shall you put the evil away from the midst of you.
from I Corinthians 5:13 · a strong link
Then shall you do to him, as he had thought to have done to his brother: so shall you put the evil away from among you.
from Deuteronomy 13:5
That is the whole thread.
Every verse the cross-references reach from Isaiah 50:6 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