a thread opens
How does the city sit alone, that was full of people! how is she become as a widow! she that was great among the nations, and princess among the provinces, how is she become tributary!
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.
Do not fear; for you shall not be ashamed: neither be confounded; for you shall not be put to shame: for you shall forget the shame of your youth, and shall not remember the reproach of your widowhood any more.
from Lamentations 1:1
Fear not; for I am with you: be not dismayed; for I am your God: I will strengthen you; yes, I will help you; yes, I will uphold you with the right hand of my righteousness.
from Isaiah 54:4 · a strong link
Do not fear: for I am with you: I will bring your seed from the east, and gather you from the west;
from Isaiah 41:10 · a strong link
Look, these shall come from afar: and, look, these from the north and from the west; and these from the land of Sinim.
from Isaiah 43:5 · a strong link
And they shall come from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God.
from Isaiah 49:12
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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
Look, they are all vanity; their works are nothing: their cast images are wind and confusion.
from Isaiah 41:24
And the prophets shall become wind, and the word is not in them: thus shall it be done to them.
from Isaiah 41:29
Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! look, the prophets say to them, You shall not see the sword, neither shall you have famine; but I will give you assured peace in this place.
from Jeremiah 5:13
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.
He who says that he remains in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.
from I John 3:16
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 2:6
And above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfect unity.
from Ephesians 5:2 · a strong link
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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.
However when he, the Spirit of truth, has come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come.
from I John 2:27
We are of God: he that knows God hears us; he that is not of God hears not us. By this we know the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.
from John 16:13 · a strong link
If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write to you are the commandments of the Lord.
from I John 4:6
Do you look on things after the outward appearance? If any man trust to himself that he is Christ’s, let him of himself think this again, that, as he is Christ’s, even so are we Christ’s.
from I Corinthians 14:37 · a strong link
And you are Christ’s; and Christ is God’s.
from II Corinthians 10:7
But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.
from I Corinthians 3:23 · a strong link
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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 he saw them, and said, What is this then that is written, The stone which the builders rejected, the same has become the cornerstone?
from Ephesians 2:20
Therefore thus says the Lord GOD, Look, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believes will not panic.
from Luke 20:17 · a strong link
Therefore also it is contained in the Scripture, Look, I lay in Zion a chief cornerstone, elect, precious: and he that believes on him shall not be put to shame.
from Isaiah 28:16 · a strong link
Why? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumbling stone;
from I Peter 2:6 · a strong link
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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.
But the LORD said to Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD sees not as man sees; for man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.
from I Chronicles 29:17
Favor is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that fears the LORD, she shall be praised.
from I Samuel 16:7 · a strong link
The LORD takes pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy.
from Proverbs 31:30 · a strong link
Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that favor my righteous cause: yes, let them say continually, Let the LORD be magnified, which has pleasure in the prosperity of his servant.
from Psalms 147:11
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
Then you shall bring them both out to the gate of that city, and you shall stone them with stones that they die; the young woman, because she cried not, being in the city; and the man, because he has humbled his neighbor’s wife: so you shall put away evil from among you.
from I Corinthians 5:13
Then they shall bring out the young woman to the door of her father’s house, and the men of her city shall stone her with stones that she die: because she has committed folly in Israel, to play the prostitute in her father’s house: so shall you put evil away from among you.
from Deuteronomy 22:24
That is the whole thread.
Every verse the cross-references reach from Lamentations 1:1 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