a thread opens
And Balaam said to Balak, Stand by your burnt offering, and I will go: perhaps the LORD will come to meet me: and whatever he shows me I will tell you. And he went to a high place.
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.
And when Balaam saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel, he went not, as at other times, to seek for enchantments, but he set his face toward the wilderness.
from Numbers 23:3
And he said to Balak, Stand here by your burnt offering, while I meet the LORD yonder.
from Numbers 24:1
And he said to them, Lodge here this night, and I will bring you word again, as the LORD shall speak to me: and the princes of Moab remained with Balaam.
from Numbers 23:15
And he answered, Must I not take heed to speak that which the LORD has put in my mouth?
from Numbers 22:8
And Balaam said to Balak, Look, I have come to you: have I now any power at all to say anything? the word that God puts in my mouth, that shall I speak.
from Numbers 23:12
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.
One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
from I Corinthians 8:4
Have we not all one father? has not one God created us? why do we deal treacherously every man against his brother, by profaning the covenant of our fathers?
from Ephesians 4:6
You do the deeds of your father. Then they said to him, We be not born of sexual immorality; we have one Father, even God.
from Malachi 2:10
But now, O LORD, you are our father; we are the clay, and you our potter; and we all are the work of your hand.
from John 8:41 · a strong link
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.
Yes, and if I am being poured out as a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy, and rejoice with you all.
from I John 3:16 · a strong link
And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved.
from Philippians 2:17 · a strong link
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 II Corinthians 12:15
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.
But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things.
from I John 2:27 · a strong link
But he that is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.
from I John 2:20
Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets have gone out into the world.
from I Corinthians 2:15
Yes, and why even of yourselves judge you not what is right?
from I John 4:1
Jesus answered them, Truly I say to you, If you have faith, and doubt not, you shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if you shall say to this mountain, Be removed, and be cast into the sea; it shall be done.
from Luke 12:57
But let him ask in faith, without doubting. For he that wavers is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
from Matthew 21:21
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.
And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone;
from I Corinthians 12:28
This is the stone which was set at nothing of you builders, which has become the cornerstone.
from Ephesians 2:20
The wicked flee when no man pursues: but the righteous are bold as a lion.
from Acts 4:11
There were they in great fear, where no fear was: for God has scattered the bones of him that encamps against you: you have put them to shame, because God has despised them.
from Proverbs 28:1 · a strong link
And upon them that are left alive of you I will send a faintness into their hearts in the lands of their enemies; and the sound of a shaken leaf shall chase them; and they shall flee, as fleeing from a sword; and they shall fall when none pursues.
from Psalms 53:5 · a strong link
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.
But the LORD said to Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD sees not as man sees; for man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.
from I Chronicles 29:17
But, O LORD of hosts, that try the righteous, and see the inmost thoughts and the heart, let me see your vengeance on them: for to you have I opened my cause.
from I Samuel 16:7 · a strong link
The LORD tries the righteous: but the wicked and him that loves violence his soul hates.
from Jeremiah 20:12
And it happened after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said to him, Abraham: and he said, Look, here I am.
from Psalms 11:5 · a strong link
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:
But God judges those outside. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.
from I Corinthians 5:7
Then you shall bring them both out to the gate of that city, and you shall stone them with stones that they die; the young woman, because she cried not, being in the city; and the man, because he has humbled his neighbor’s wife: so you shall put away evil from among you.
from I Corinthians 5:13
Then they shall bring out the young woman to the door of her father’s house, and the men of her city shall stone her with stones that she die: because she has committed folly in Israel, to play the prostitute in her father’s house: so shall you put evil away from among you.
from Deuteronomy 22:24
That is the whole thread.
Every verse the cross-references reach from Numbers 23:3 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