The Vigil

from Matthew 20:20

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

Matthew 20:20

Then came to him the mother of Zebedee’s children with her sons, worshipping him, and desiring a certain thing of him.

Matthew 27:56

Among which was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee’s children.

from Matthew 20:20

Matthew 28:1

In the end of the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the tomb.

from Matthew 27:56


a thread opens

Leviticus 10:3

Then Moses said to Aaron, This is it that the LORD spoke, saying, I will be sanctified in them that come near me, and before all the people I will be glorified. And Aaron held his peace.

Leviticus 21:17

Speak to Aaron, saying, Whoever he be of your seed in their generations that has any blemish, let him not approach to offer the bread of his God.

from Leviticus 10:3

Numbers 16:5

And he spoke to Korah and to all his company, saying, Even tomorrow the LORD will show who are his, and who is holy; and will cause him to come near to him: even him whom he has chosen will he cause to come near to him.

from Leviticus 21:17

Ezekiel 44:15

But the priests the Levites, the sons of Zadok, that kept the charge of my sanctuary when the children of Israel went astray from me, they shall come near to me to minister to me, and they shall stand before me to offer to me the fat and the blood, says the Lord GOD:

from Numbers 16:5

Deuteronomy 10:8

At that time the LORD separated the tribe of Levi, to bear the ark of the covenant of the LORD, to stand before the LORD to minister to him, and to bless in his name, to this day.

from Ezekiel 44:15

Numbers 6:23

Speak to Aaron and to his sons, saying, In this way you shall bless the children of Israel, saying to them,

from Deuteronomy 10:8

I Chronicles 23:13

The sons of Amram; Aaron and Moses: and Aaron was separated, so that he should sanctify the most holy things, he and his sons for ever, to burn incense before the LORD, to minister to him, and to bless in his name for ever.

from Numbers 6:23


a thread opens

Jude 1:24

Now to him that is able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,

Ephesians 5:27

That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

from Jude 1:24 · a strong link

II Peter 3:14

Therefore, beloved, seeing that you look for such things, be diligent that you may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.

from Ephesians 5:27

I Corinthians 15:58

Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, since you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

from II Peter 3:14 · a strong link

Colossians 2:5

For though I be absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, joying and seeing your order, and the stability of your faith in Christ.

from I Corinthians 15:58 · a strong link

Hebrews 3:14

For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end;

from Colossians 2:5


a thread opens

Jude 1:11

Woe to them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the rebellion of Korah.

Isaiah 3:9

The look on their faces bears witness against them; and they declare their sin as Sodom, they hide it not. Woe to their soul! for they have rewarded evil to themselves.

from Jude 1:11

Genesis 13:13

But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the LORD exceedingly.

from Isaiah 3:9 · a strong link

Genesis 18:20

And the LORD said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous;

from Genesis 13:13

Genesis 4:10

And he said, What have you done? the voice of your brother’s blood cries to me from the ground.

from Genesis 18:20


a thread opens

Luke 2:14

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

Luke 1:79

To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.

from Luke 2:14 · a strong link

Ephesians 5:8

For you were once darkness, but now are you light in the Lord: walk as children of light:

from Luke 1:79

Isaiah 42:6

I the LORD have called you in righteousness, and will hold your hand, and will keep you, and give you for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles;

from Ephesians 5:8


a thread opens

Luke 18:7

And shall not God give justice to his own elect, which cry day and night to him, though he bear long with them?

Romans 8:33

Who shall lay anything to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifies.

from Luke 18:7

Revelation of John 12:10

And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now has come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brothers is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.

from Romans 8:33 · a strong link

Matthew 16:26

For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

from Job 1:9

Job 27:8

For what is the hope of the hypocrite, though he has gained, when God takes away his soul?

from Matthew 16:26 · a strong link

Job 11:20

But the eyes of the wicked shall fail, and they shall not escape, and their hope shall be as a last breath.

from Job 27:8


a thread opens

Luke 14:26

If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brothers, and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.

Philippians 3:8

Yes doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them as rubbish, so that I may win Christ,

from Luke 14:26 · a strong link

Ephesians 3:8

To me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, so that I should preach among the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ;

from Philippians 3:8

Colossians 1:27

To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:

from Ephesians 3:8

Matthew 13:11

He answered and said to them, Because it is given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.

from Colossians 1:27

I Corinthians 2:9

But as it is written, Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for them that love him.

from Matthew 13:11 · a strong link

That is the whole thread.

Every verse the cross-references reach from Matthew 20:20 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