a thread opens
Beware lest any man take you captive through philosophy and empty deceit, after the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, and not after Christ.
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.
Let no man disqualify you in false humility and worship of angels, intruding into those things which he has not seen, vainly arrogant by his fleshly mind,
from Colossians 2:8
Desiring to be teachers of the law; understanding neither what they say, nor of which they affirm.
from Colossians 2:18
But these, as irrational animals, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption;
from I Timothy 1:7 · a strong link
But you, O LORD, know me: you have seen me, and tried my heart toward you: pull them out like sheep for the slaughter, and prepare them for the day of slaughter.
from II Peter 2:12 · a strong link
You have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been self-indulgent; you have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter.
from Jeremiah 12:3
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
Therefore thus says the LORD concerning the prophets that prophesy in my name, and I sent them not, yet they say, Sword and famine shall not be in this land; By sword and famine shall those prophets be consumed.
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
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 Acts 20:28
And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given to me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go to the pagans, and they to the circumcision.
from I Timothy 3:15
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.
For we have not followed cleverly devised myths, when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty.
from I John 2:27
And he said to them, Truly I say to you, That there be some of them that stand here, which shall not taste of death, till they have seen the kingdom of God come with power.
from II Peter 1:16
But I tell you truly, there be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the kingdom of God.
from Mark 9:1
Truly I say to you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom.
from Luke 9:27
Jesus said to him, You have said: nevertheless I say to you, Hereafter shall you see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.
from Matthew 16:28
For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.
from Matthew 26:64
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
And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
from Ephesians 2:20 · a strong link
For he looked for a city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
from Revelation of John 21:14 · a strong link
For our citizenship is in heaven; from where also we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ:
from Hebrews 11:10
And has raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
from Philippians 3:20 · 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.
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
But have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.
from II Corinthians 1:12
For our exhortation was not of deceit, nor of uncleanness, nor in guile:
from II Corinthians 4:2
For neither at any time used we flattering words, as you know, nor a pretext for greed; God is witness:
from I Thessalonians 2:3
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 I saw, and, look, in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.
from I Corinthians 5:7
Arise and thresh, O daughter of Zion: for I will make your horn iron, and I will make your hoofs bronze: and you shall beat in pieces many people: and I will consecrate their gain to the LORD, and their possessions to the Lord of the whole earth.
And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.
from Micah 4:13
That is the whole thread.
Every verse the cross-references reach from Colossians 2:8 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