The Vigil

from Leviticus 20:21

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.

a thread opens

Leviticus 20:21

And if a man shall take his brother’s wife, it is an unclean thing: he has uncovered his brother’s nakedness; they shall be childless.

Mark 12:19

Teacher, Moses wrote to us, If a man’s brother die, and leave his wife behind him, and leave no children, that his brother should take his wife, and raise up seed to his brother.

from Leviticus 18:16

Ruth 1:11

And Naomi said, Turn again, my daughters: why will you go with me? are there yet any more sons in my womb, so that they may be your husbands?

from Mark 12:19

Genesis 38:11

Then said Judah to Tamar his daughter-in-law, Remain a widow at your father’s house, till Shelah my son be grown: for he said, Lest perhaps he die also, as his brothers did. And Tamar went and dwelt in her father’s house.

from Ruth 1:11 · a strong link


a thread opens

Acts 20:21

Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.

Mark 1:15

And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent you, and believe the gospel.

from Acts 20:21

Acts 2:36

Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God has made that same Jesus, whom you have crucified, both Lord and Christ.

from Mark 1:15

II Corinthians 5:10

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he has done, whether it be good or bad.

from Acts 2:36

I Samuel 2:3

Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let not arrogancy come out of your mouth: for the LORD is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed.

from II Corinthians 5:10

Proverbs 8:13

The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the perverse mouth, do I hate.

from I Samuel 2:3


a thread opens

Acts 13:38

Be it known to you therefore, men and brothers, that through this man is preached to you the forgiveness of sins:

II Corinthians 5:18

And all things are of God, who has reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and has given to us the ministry of reconciliation;

from Acts 13:38

Colossians 1:20

And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things to himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.

from II Corinthians 5:18

Ephesians 2:14

For he is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the dividing wall between us;

from Romans 5:1

Ephesians 4:16

From whom the whole body fitly joined together and held together by that which every joint supplies, according to the effective working in the measure of every part, makes increase of the body to the building up of itself in love.

from Colossians 3:15


a thread opens

Acts 17:31

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.

Matthew 25:31

When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:

from Acts 17:31

I Thessalonians 4:16

For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

from Matthew 25:31

Acts 1:11

Which also said, You men of Galilee, why stand gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as you have seen him go into heaven.

from I Thessalonians 4:16


a thread opens

Acts 4:27

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,

Matthew 27:2

And when they had bound him, they led him away, and delivered him to Pontius Pilate the governor.

from Acts 4:27 · a strong link

I Timothy 6:13

I give you charge in the sight of God, who gives life to all things, and before Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession;

from Matthew 27:2

John 5:21

For as the Father raises up the dead, and gives them life; even so the Son gives life to whom he will.

from I Timothy 6:13

John 11:43

And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.

from John 5:21


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Acts 7:51

You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, you do always resist the Holy Spirit: as your fathers did, so do you.

Exodus 33:3

To a land flowing with milk and honey: for I will not go up in the midst of you; for you are a stiff-necked people: lest I consume you in the way.

from Acts 7:51

Numbers 16:45

Get you up from among this congregation, so that I may consume them as in a moment. And they fell upon their faces.

from Exodus 33:3

Numbers 16:24

Speak to the congregation, saying, Get you up from about the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.

from Numbers 16:45

Exodus 32:10

Now therefore let me alone, so that my wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them: and I will make of you a great nation.

from Numbers 16:21


a thread opens

Acts 22:21

And he said to me, Depart: for I will send you far hence to the Gentiles.

Acts 9:15

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

Ephesians 3:7

Of which I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given to me by the effective working of his power.

from Acts 9:15 · a strong link

II Corinthians 3:6

Who also has made us able ministers of the new covenant; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter kills, but the spirit gives life.

from Ephesians 3:7

Psalms 1:1

Blessed is the man that walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful.

from Romans 5:6

That is the whole thread.

Every verse the cross-references reach from Leviticus 20:21 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