The Vigil

from Matthew 21:43

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 21:43

Therefore say I to you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth its fruits.

Luke 17:20

And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God comes not with observation:

from Matthew 21:43

Luke 17:23

And they shall say to you, See here; or, see there: go not after them, nor follow them.

from Luke 17:20

Luke 17:21

Neither shall they say, Look here! or, look there! for, look, the kingdom of God is within you.

from Luke 17:23


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.

Job 2:10

But he said to her, You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips.

from Psalms 39:9 · a strong link

John 18:11

Then Jesus said to Peter, Put up your sword into the sheath: the cup which my Father has given me, shall I not drink it?

from Job 2:10

Matthew 26:39

And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as you will.

from John 18:11

Numbers 14:5

Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly of the congregation of the children of Israel.

from Matthew 26:39

Daniel 10:9

Yet heard I the voice of his words: and when I heard the voice of his words, then was I in a deep sleep on my face, and my face toward the ground.

from Numbers 14:5


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,

II Timothy 4:18

And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me to his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

from Jude 1:24

Matthew 13:43

Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who has ears to hear, let him hear.

from II Timothy 4:18

Luke 12:32

Do not fear, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

from Matthew 13:43


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.

Numbers 26:9

And the sons of Eliab; Nemuel, and Dathan, and Abiram. This is that Dathan and Abiram, which were famous in the congregation, who strove against Moses and against Aaron in the company of Korah, when they strove against the LORD:

from Jude 1:11

Numbers 1:16

These were the renowned of the congregation, princes of the tribes of their fathers, heads of thousands in Israel.

from Numbers 26:9 · a strong link

Numbers 7:2

That the princes of Israel, heads of the house of their fathers, who were the princes of the tribes, and were over them that were numbered, offered:

from Numbers 1:16 · a strong link

Numbers 1:4

And with you there shall be a man of every tribe; every one head of the house of his fathers.

from Numbers 7:2


a thread opens

Luke 2:14

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

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 Luke 2:14 · a strong link

Hebrews 2:17

Therefore in all things it befitted him to be made like to his brothers, so that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.

from Colossians 1:20

Hebrews 7:26

For such a high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;

from Hebrews 2:17


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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?

Jeremiah 20:11

But the LORD is with me as a mighty terrible one: therefore my persecutors shall stumble, and they shall not prevail: they shall be greatly ashamed; for they shall not prosper: their everlasting confusion shall never be forgotten.

from Luke 18:7

Jeremiah 17:18

Let them be confounded that persecute me, but let not me be confounded: let them be dismayed, but let not me be dismayed: bring upon them the day of evil, and destroy them with double destruction.

from Jeremiah 20:11 · a strong link

Psalms 35:8

Let destruction come upon him at unawares; and let his net that he has hid catch himself: into that very destruction let him fall.

from Jeremiah 17:18

I Thessalonians 5:3

For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman; and they shall not escape.

from Psalms 35:8 · a strong link

Hebrews 2:3

How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by them that heard him;

from I Thessalonians 5:3

Luke 1:2

Even as they delivered them to us, which from the beginning were eyewitnesses, and ministers of the word;

from Hebrews 2:3 · a strong link


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.

Revelation of John 12:11

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 Luke 14:26 · a strong link

Isaiah 55:1

Ho, every one that thirsts, come to the waters, and he that has no money; come, buy, and eat; yes, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.

from Proverbs 23:23

Psalms 63:1

A Psalm of David, when he was in the wilderness of Judah. O God, you are my God; early will I seek you: my soul thirsts for you, my flesh longs for you in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is;

from Isaiah 55:1 · a strong link

That is the whole thread.

Every verse the cross-references reach from Matthew 21:43 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