a thread opens
And it happened in the month Nisan, in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes the king, that wine was before him: and I took up the wine, and gave it to the king. Now I had not been formerly sad in his presence.
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.
The words of Nehemiah the son of Hachaliah. And it happened in the month Chisleu, in the twentieth year, as I was in Susa the palace,
from Nehemiah 2:1
That in those days, when the king Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his kingdom, which was in Susa the palace,
from Nehemiah 1:1
And also Solomon sits on the throne of the kingdom.
from Esther 1:2
Then Solomon sat on the throne of the LORD as king instead of David his father, and prospered; and all Israel obeyed him.
from I Kings 1:46
Then sat Solomon upon the throne of David his father; and his kingdom was established greatly.
from I Chronicles 29:23
a thread opens
As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice to idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one.
Look, you are of nothing, and your work of nothing: an abomination is he that chooses you.
from I Corinthians 8:4
Look, they are all vanity; their works are nothing: their cast images are wind and confusion.
from Isaiah 41:24
And the prophets shall become wind, and the word is not in them: thus shall it be done to them.
from Isaiah 41:29
How long will you speak these things? and how long shall the words of your mouth be like a strong wind?
from Jeremiah 5:13
a thread opens
By this we perceive the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.
Take heed therefore to yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he has purchased with his own blood.
from I John 3:16
Give none offense, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God:
from Acts 20:28
But if I delay long, so that you may know how you ought to behave yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.
from I Corinthians 10:32
a thread opens
But the anointing which you have received of him remains in you, and you need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teaches you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it has taught you, you shall remain in him.
For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:
from I John 2:27
A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh.
from Hebrews 8:10 · a strong link
Yes, they made their hearts as an adamant stone, lest they should hear the law, and the words which the LORD of hosts has sent in his spirit by the former prophets: therefore came a great wrath from the LORD of hosts.
from Ezekiel 36:26 · a strong link
And testified against them, so that you might bring them again to your law: yet they dealt proudly, and listened not to your commandments, but sinned against your judgments, (which if a man do, he shall live in them;) and withdrew the shoulder, and hardened their neck, and would not hear.
from Zechariah 7:12 · a strong link
Nevertheless they were disobedient, and rebelled against you, and cast your law behind their backs, and slew your prophets which testified against them to turn them to you, and they worked great provocations.
from Nehemiah 9:29
But have done evil above all that were before you: for you have gone and made you other gods, and cast images, to provoke me to anger, and have cast me behind your back:
from Nehemiah 9:26 · a strong link
a thread opens
And God has set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, varieties of tongues.
Obey your leaders, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.
from I Corinthians 12:28 · a strong link
That you submit yourselves to such, and to every one that helps with us, and labors.
from Hebrews 13:17
And we beg you, brothers, to know them which labor among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you;
from I Corinthians 16:16 · a strong link
But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.
from I Thessalonians 5:12
This is a trustworthy saying, and worthy of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.
from I Corinthians 15:10
a thread opens
I know also, my God, that you try the heart, and have pleasure in uprightness. As for me, in the uprightness of my heart I have willingly offered all these things: and now have I seen with joy your people, who are present here, to offer willingly to you.
For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conduct in the world, and more abundantly toward you.
from I Chronicles 29:17
Pray for us: for we trust we have a good conscience, in all things willing to live honestly.
from II Corinthians 1:12
And Paul, earnestly seeing the council, said, Men and brothers, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day.
from Hebrews 13:18
But when Paul perceived that the one part were Sadducees, and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, Men and brothers, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee: of the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in question.
from Acts 23:1
a thread opens
Clean out therefore the old leaven, so that you may be a new lump, as you are unleavened. For even Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us:
And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he said, Look, the Lamb of God!
from I Corinthians 5:7
But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
from John 1:36 · a strong link
Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: you shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats:
from I Peter 1:19 · a strong link
That is the whole thread.
Every verse the cross-references reach from Nehemiah 2:1 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