a thread opens
The trees went forth on a time to anoint a king over them; and they said to the olive tree, Reign you over us.
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 Jehoash the king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, The thistle in Lebanon sent to the cedar in Lebanon, saying, Give your daughter to my son to wife: and there passed by a wild beast in Lebanon, and trode down the thistle.
from Judges 9:8
And thorns shall come up in her palaces, nettles and brambles in its fortresses: and it shall be a habitation of jackals, and a court for owls.
from II Kings 14:9
Look, the noise of the report has come, and a great commotion out of the north country, to make the cities of Judah desolate, and a den of jackals.
from Isaiah 34:13
And I will make Jerusalem heaps, and a den of jackals; and I will make the cities of Judah desolate, without an inhabitant.
from Jeremiah 10:22 · a strong link
And the wild beasts of the islands shall cry in their desolate houses, and jackals in their pleasant palaces: and her time is near to come, and her days shall not be prolonged.
from Jeremiah 9:11
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.
Look, you are of nothing, and your work of nothing: an abomination is he that chooses you.
from I Corinthians 8:4
They that make them are like to them; so is every one that trusts in them.
from Isaiah 41:24 · a strong link
They that make them are like to them: so is every one that trusts in them.
from Psalms 115:8
They have not known nor understood: for he has shut their eyes, that they cannot see; and their hearts, that they cannot understand.
from Psalms 135:18
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.
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, so that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
from I John 3:16 · a strong link
But God commends his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
from John 3:16 · a strong link
That in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
from Romans 5:8 · 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.
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
Whoever is born of God does not commit sin; for his seed remains in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.
from I Peter 1:23
For whatever is born of God overcomes the world: and this is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith.
from I John 3:9
And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives to the death.
from I John 5:4
I write to you, fathers, because you have known him that is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you have overcome the wicked one. I write to you, little children, because you have known the Father.
All things are delivered to me of my Father: and no man knows who the Son is, but the Father; and who the Father is, but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him.
from I John 2:13
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.
And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone;
from I Corinthians 12:28
And I say also to you, That you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
from Ephesians 2:20 · a strong link
I said in the cutting off of my days, I shall go to the gates of the grave: I am deprived of the residue of my years.
from Matthew 16:18
I said, O my God, take me not away in the midst of my days: your years are throughout all generations.
from Isaiah 38:10
But you, O LORD, shall endure for ever; and your remembrance to all generations.
from Psalms 102:24
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.
Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and says of him, Look, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!
from I Chronicles 29:17
Then Jesus said to those Jews which believed on him, If you continue in my word, then are you my disciples indeed;
from John 1:47
Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.
from John 8:31
For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remains no more sacrifice for sins,
from Hebrews 10:38
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:
That you put off your old self, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;
from I Corinthians 5:7
And delivered just Lot, troubled with the filthy conduct of the wicked:
from Ephesians 4:22
There has no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that you may be able to bear it.
from II Peter 2:7
That is the whole thread.
Every verse the cross-references reach from Judges 9:8 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