The Vigil

from Zephaniah 1:17

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

Zephaniah 1:17

And I will bring distress upon men, that they shall walk like blind men, because they have sinned against the LORD: and their blood shall be poured out as dust, and their flesh as the dung.

I Samuel 28:7

Then said Saul to his servants, Seek me a woman that is a medium, that I may go to her, and inquire of her. And his servants said to him, Look, there is a woman that is a medium at Endor.

from Psalms 83:10

Acts 16:16

And it happened, as we went to prayer, a certain young woman possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying:

from I Samuel 28:7


a thread opens

Acts 20:21

Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.

Mark 1:15

And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent you, and believe the gospel.

from Acts 20:21

Acts 28:31

Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him.

from Matthew 10:7

II Timothy 4:17

However the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.

from Acts 28:31

Acts 23:11

And the night following the Lord stood by him, and said, Take courage, Paul: for as you have testified of me in Jerusalem, so must you bear witness also at Rome.

from II Timothy 4:17 · a strong link


a thread opens

Acts 13:38

Be it known to you therefore, men and brothers, that through this man is preached to you the forgiveness of sins:

Acts 5:31

Him has God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Savior, to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.

from Acts 13:38

Acts 3:15

And killed the Prince of life, whom God has raised from the dead; of which we are witnesses.

from Acts 5:31

I John 1:5

This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.

from John 1:4 · a strong link

I John 3:11

For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.

from I John 1:5

I John 4:7

Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loves is born of God, and knows God.

from I John 3:11


a thread opens

Acts 17:31

Because he has appointed a day, in which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he has ordained; of which he has given assurance to all men, in that he has raised him from the dead.

Psalms 9:8

And he shall judge the world in righteousness, he shall minister judgment to the people in uprightness.

from Acts 17:31

Psalms 96:13

Before the LORD: for he comes, for he comes to judge the earth: he shall judge the world with righteousness, and the people with his truth.

from Psalms 9:8 · a strong link

Revelation of John 19:11

And I saw heaven opened, and look, a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he does judge and make war.

from Psalms 96:13 · a strong link


a thread opens

Acts 4:27

For truly against your holy child Jesus, whom you have anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together,

Matthew 27:2

And when they had bound him, they led him away, and delivered him to Pontius Pilate the governor.

from Acts 4:27 · a strong link

Matthew 20:19

And shall deliver him to the Gentiles to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify him: and the third day he shall rise again.

from Matthew 27:2 · a strong link

Mark 15:16

And the soldiers led him away into the hall, called Pretorium; and they call together the whole band.

from Matthew 20:19

John 19:9

And went again into the judgment hall, and said to Jesus, Where are you from? But Jesus gave him no answer.

from Mark 15:16


a thread opens

Acts 7:51

You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, you do always resist the Holy Spirit: as your fathers did, so do you.

Exodus 32:9

And the LORD said to Moses, I have seen this people, and indeed, it is a stiff-necked people:

from Acts 7:51 · a strong link

Exodus 33:5

For the LORD had said to Moses, Say to the children of Israel, You are a stiff-necked people: I will come up into the midst of you in a moment, and consume you: therefore now put off your ornaments from you, so that I may know what to do to you.

from Exodus 32:9 · a strong link

Numbers 16:45

Get you up from among this congregation, so that I may consume them as in a moment. And they fell upon their faces.

from Exodus 33:5

Numbers 16:24

Speak to the congregation, saying, Get you up from about the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.

from Numbers 16:45


a thread opens

Acts 22:21

And he said to me, Depart: for I will send you far hence to the Gentiles.

Acts 9:15

But the Lord said to him, Go your way: for he is a chosen vessel to me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:

from Acts 22:21 · a strong link

II Timothy 4:16

At my first defense no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge.

from Acts 9:15

Acts 7:60

And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

from II Timothy 4:16 · a strong link

Acts 21:5

And when we had accomplished those days, we departed and went our way; and they all brought us on our way, with wives and children, till we were out of the city: and we kneeled down on the shore, and prayed.

from Acts 7:60

Acts 20:38

Sorrowing most of all for the words which he spoke, that they should see his face no more. And they accompanied him to the ship.

from Acts 21:5

Acts 15:3

And being brought on their way by the church, they passed through Phoenicia and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles: and they caused great joy to all the brothers.

from Acts 20:38

That is the whole thread.

Every verse the cross-references reach from Zephaniah 1:17 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