The Vigil

from Matthew 5:31

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 5:31

It has been said, Whoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce:

Jeremiah 3:1

They say, If a man put away his wife, and she go from him, and become another man’s, shall he return to her again? shall not that land be greatly polluted? but you have played the prostitute with many lovers; yet return again to me, says the LORD.

from Matthew 5:31

Ezekiel 16:26

You have also committed sexual immorality with the Egyptians your neighbors, great of flesh; and have increased your prostitution, to provoke me to anger.

from Jeremiah 3:1

Ezekiel 23:19

Yet she multiplied her prostitution, in calling to remembrance the days of her youth, in which she had played the prostitute in the land of Egypt.

from Ezekiel 16:26


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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

Numbers 16:3

And they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said to them, You take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the LORD is among them: why then lift you up yourselves above the congregation of the LORD?

from Numbers 16:5

Numbers 16:7

And put fire in it, and put incense in them before the LORD tomorrow: and it shall be that the man whom the LORD does choose, he shall be holy: you take too much upon you, you sons of Levi.

from Numbers 16:3

Matthew 21:23

And when he had come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him as he was teaching, and said, By what authority do you these things? and who gave you this authority?

from Numbers 16:7

Acts 7:27

But he that did his neighbor wrong thrust him away, saying, Who made you a ruler and a judge over us?

from Matthew 21:23


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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,

Romans 16:25

Now to him that is of power to establish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,

from Jude 1:24

Ephesians 3:9

And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world has been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:

from Romans 16:25

I Peter 1:20

Who truly was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,

from Ephesians 3:9

II Timothy 1:9

Who has saved us, and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,

from I Peter 1:20

Ephesians 2:8

For by grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

from II Timothy 1:9 · a strong link


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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.

Revelation of John 2:14

But I have a few things against you, because you have there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality.

from Jude 1:11

Romans 14:13

Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumbling block or an occasion to fall in his brother’s way.

from Revelation of John 2:14

James 4:11

Speak not evil one of another, brothers. He that speaks evil of his brother, and judges his brother, speaks evil of the law, and judges the law: but if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law, but a judge.

from Romans 14:13 · a strong link


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Luke 2:14

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

Romans 5:1

Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

from Luke 2:14

Romans 1:7

To all that are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.

from Romans 5:1

Revelation of John 1:4

John to the seven churches in Asia: Grace be to you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits before his throne;

from Romans 1:7


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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?

Revelation of John 6:10

And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, do you not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?

from Luke 18:7 · a strong link

Psalms 50:4

He shall call to the heavens from above, and to the earth, so that he may judge his people.

from Psalms 135:14

John 9:39

And Jesus said, For judgment I have come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind.

from John 5:22 · a strong link


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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

John 17:21

That they all may be one; as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, so that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that you have sent me.

from John 14:20

Galatians 3:28

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female: for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

from John 17:21

Galatians 5:6

For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision; but faith which works by love.

from Galatians 3:28 · a strong link

That is the whole thread.

Every verse the cross-references reach from Matthew 5:31 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