a thread opens
They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not.
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.
They bear him upon the shoulder, they carry him, and set him in his place, and he stands; from his place shall he not remove: yes, one shall cry to him, yet can he not answer, nor save him out of his trouble.
from Jeremiah 10:4
Assemble yourselves and come; draw near together, you that have escaped of the nations: they have no knowledge that set up the wood of their carved image, and pray to a god that cannot save.
from Isaiah 46:7 · a strong link
Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the people be assembled: who among them can declare this, and show us former things? let them bring forth their witnesses, so that they may be justified: or let them hear, and say, It is truth.
from Isaiah 45:20
Put me in remembrance: let us plead together: declare you, so that you may be justified.
from Isaiah 43:9
Who shall lay anything to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifies.
from Isaiah 43:26
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
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 44:24
The heaven, even the heavens, are the LORD’s: but the earth has he given to the children of men.
from Isaiah 45:18
I have made the earth, the man and the beast upon the ground, by my great power and by my outstretched arm, and have given it to whom it seemed meet to me.
from Psalms 115:16 · 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.
Yes, and if I am being poured out as a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy, and rejoice with you all.
from I John 3:16 · a strong link
And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved.
from Philippians 2:17 · a strong link
And he said to me, My grace is sufficient for you: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
from II Corinthians 12:15
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.
Being born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, by the word of God, which lives and remains for ever.
from I John 2:27
Jesus answered him, Truly, truly, I say to you, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
from I Peter 1:23 · a strong link
He has blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them.
from John 3:3 · a strong link
Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed.
from John 12:40 · a strong link
But they refused to listen, and pulled away the shoulder, and stopped their ears, so that they should not hear.
from Isaiah 6:10
Why then is this people of Jerusalem slidden back by a perpetual backsliding? they hold fast deceit, they refuse to return.
from Zechariah 7:11
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.
Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;
from I Corinthians 12:28
For I say, through the grace given to me, to every man among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God has dealt to every man the measure of faith.
from Romans 12:6 · a strong link
Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit; but in humility of mind let each count others better than themselves.
from Romans 12:3 · a strong link
Only by pride comes contention: but with the well advised is wisdom.
from Philippians 2:3
From where come wars and quarrels among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?
from Proverbs 13:10
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.
I the LORD search the heart, I try the inmost thoughts, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.
from I Chronicles 29:17 · a strong link
And I am coming soon; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.
from Jeremiah 17:10
Look, the Lord GOD will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him: look, his reward is with him, and his work before him.
from Revelation of John 22:12 · a strong link
Look, the LORD has proclaimed to the end of the world, Say to the daughter of Zion, Look, your salvation comes; look, his reward is with him, and his work before him.
from Isaiah 40:10 · 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:
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 Jeremiah 10:4 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