a thread opens
For all the firstborn of the children of Israel are mine, both man and beast: on the day that I struck every firstborn in the land of Egypt I sanctified them for myself.
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.
(As it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord;)
from Numbers 8:17
Sanctify to me all the firstborn, whatever opens the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and of beast: it is mine.
from Luke 2:23 · a strong link
Because all the firstborn are mine; for on the day that I struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt I hallowed to me all the firstborn in Israel, both man and beast: mine shall they be: I am the LORD.
from Exodus 13:2 · a strong link
And it happened, when Pharaoh would hardly let us go, that the LORD slew all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man, and the firstborn of beast: therefore I sacrifice to the LORD all that opens the matrix, being males; but all the firstborn of my children I redeem.
from Numbers 3:13
And it happened, that at midnight the LORD struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sat on his throne to the firstborn of the captive in the dungeon; and all the firstborn of cattle.
from Exodus 13:15 · a strong link
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.
Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:
from I Corinthians 8:4 · a strong link
I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to carved images.
from Deuteronomy 6:4
That all men should honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. He that honors not the Son honors not the Father which has sent him.
from Isaiah 42:8
Whoever denies the Son, the same has not the Father: [but] he that acknowledges the Son has the Father also.
from John 5:23 · 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.
But God commends his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
from I John 3:16 · a strong link
To the praise of the glory of his grace, in which he has made us accepted in the beloved.
from Romans 5:8 · a strong link
But not as the offense, so also is the free gift. For if through the offense of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, has abounded to many.
from Ephesians 1:6
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.
Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teaches, but which the Holy Spirit teaches; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
from I John 2:27
But the natural man receives not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness to him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
from I Corinthians 2:13
Jesus answered him, Truly, truly, I say to you, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
from I Corinthians 2:14
Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him.
from John 3:3 · a strong link
But whoever has the world’s goods, and sees his brother have need, and closes his heart against him, how dwells the love of God in him?
from I John 5:1
If there is among you a poor man of one of your brothers within any of your gates in your land which the LORD your God gives you, you shall not harden your heart, nor shut your hand from your poor brother:
from I John 3:17
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 he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
from I Corinthians 12:28 · a strong link
Now for a long season Israel has been without the true God, and without a teaching priest, and without law.
from Ephesians 4:11
For the children of Israel shall remain many days without a king, and without a prince, and without a sacrifice, and without an image, and without an ephod, and without teraphim:
from II Chronicles 15:3
And these are the garments which they shall make; a breastplate, and an ephod, and a robe, and an embroidered coat, a turban, and a belt: and they shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother, and his sons, so that he may minister to me in the priest’s office.
from Hosea 3:4
And you shall embroider the coat of fine linen, and you shall make the turban of fine linen, and you shall make the belt of needlework.
from Exodus 28:4
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.
They that are of a perverse heart are abomination to the LORD: but such as are upright in their way are his delight.
from I Chronicles 29:17
א ALEPH. Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD.
from Proverbs 11:20
For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men,
from Psalms 119:1
And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
from Titus 2:11
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:
He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is mute, so he opens not his mouth.
from I Corinthians 5:7
But Jesus yet answered nothing; so that Pilate marveled.
from Isaiah 53:7
Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, you, and your fellows that sit before you: for they are men wondered at: for, look, I will bring forth my servant the BRANCH.
from Mark 15:5
That is the whole thread.
Every verse the cross-references reach from Numbers 8:17 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