a thread opens
The tongue of the nursing child clings to the roof of his mouth for thirst: the young children ask bread, and no man breaks it to them.
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.
My eyes do fail with tears, my bowels are troubled, my liver is poured upon the earth, for the destruction of the daughter of my people; because the children and the nursing infants swoon in the streets of the city.
from Lamentations 4:4
Look, O LORD; for I am in distress: my bowels are troubled; my heart is turned within me; for I have grievously rebelled: abroad the sword bereaves, at home there is as death.
from Lamentations 2:11
The sword is without, and the pestilence and the famine within: he that is in the field shall die with the sword; and he that is in the city, famine and pestilence shall devour him.
from Lamentations 1:20
A third of you shall die with the pestilence, and with famine shall they be consumed in the midst of you: and a third part shall fall by the sword around you; and I will scatter a third part into all the winds, and I will draw out a sword after them.
from Ezekiel 7:15
a thread opens
Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.
I tell you, No: but, except you repent, you shall all likewise perish.
from Acts 20:21
Then he went, and took with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also to this wicked generation.
from Luke 13:3
For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remains no more sacrifice for sins,
from Matthew 12:45
If I had not come and spoken to them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloak for their sin.
from Hebrews 10:26
Jesus answered, You could have no power at all against me, except it were given you from above: therefore he that delivered me to you has the greater sin.
from John 15:22
a thread opens
Be it known to you therefore, men and brothers, that through this man is preached to you the forgiveness of sins:
I write to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name’s sake.
from Acts 13:38
Nevertheless he saved them for his name’s sake, so that he might make his mighty power to be known.
from I John 2:12
But I worked for my name’s sake, so that it should not be polluted before the pagans, among whom they were, in whose sight I made myself known to them, in bringing them forth out of the land of Egypt.
from Psalms 106:8 · a strong link
But I had pity for my holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the pagans, where they went.
from Ezekiel 20:9
For my name’s sake will I defer my anger, and for my praise will I refrain for you, that I cut you not off.
from Ezekiel 36:21
The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.
from Isaiah 48:9
a thread opens
Because he has appointed a day, in which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he has ordained; of which he has given assurance to all men, in that he has raised him from the dead.
Before the LORD: for he comes, for he comes to judge the earth: he shall judge the world with righteousness, and the people with his truth.
from Acts 17:31
And I saw heaven opened, and look, a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he does judge and make war.
from Psalms 96:13 · a strong link
And the heavens shall declare his righteousness: for God is judge himself. Selah.
a thread opens
For truly against your holy child Jesus, whom you have anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together,
By stretching forth your hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of your holy child Jesus.
from Acts 4:27 · a strong link
Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.
from Acts 4:30
And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour.
from Acts 3:6
And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out demons; they shall speak with new tongues;
from Acts 16:18
a thread opens
You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, you do always resist the Holy Spirit: as your fathers did, so do you.
Thus says the Lord GOD; No stranger, uncircumcised in heart, nor uncircumcised in flesh, shall enter into my sanctuary, of any stranger among the children of Israel.
from Acts 7:51
In that you have brought into my sanctuary strangers, uncircumcised in heart, and uncircumcised in flesh, to be in my sanctuary, to pollute it, even my house, when you offer my bread, the fat and the blood, and they have broken my covenant because of all your abominations.
from Ezekiel 44:9
Egypt, and Judah, and Edom, and the children of Ammon, and Moab, and all that are in the utmost corners, that dwell in the wilderness: for all these nations are uncircumcised, and all the house of Israel are uncircumcised in the heart.
from Ezekiel 44:7 · a strong link
And their camels shall be a plunder, and the multitude of their cattle a plunder: and I will scatter into all winds them that are in the utmost corners; and I will bring their calamity from all its sides, says the LORD.
from Jeremiah 9:26
And upon Elam will I bring the four winds from the four quarters of heaven, and will scatter them toward all those winds; and there shall be no nation where the outcasts of Elam shall not come.
from Jeremiah 49:32
a thread opens
And he said to me, Depart: for I will send you far hence to the Gentiles.
But the Lord said to him, Go your way: for he is a chosen vessel to me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:
from Acts 22:21 · a strong link
For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify my office:
from Acts 9:15
And I went up by revelation, and laid before them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to them which were of reputation, lest by any means I should run, or had run, in vain.
from Romans 11:13
Holding out the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither labored in vain.
from Galatians 2:2 · a strong link
O God, you have taught me from my youth: and until now have I declared your wondrous works.
from Philippians 2:16
And David answered Rechab and Baanah his brother, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, and said to them, As the LORD lives, who has redeemed my soul out of all adversity,
from Psalms 71:17
That is the whole thread.
Every verse the cross-references reach from Lamentations 4:4 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