a thread opens
Out of heaven he made you to hear his voice, that he might instruct you: and upon earth he showed you his great fire; and you heard his words out of the midst of the fire.
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 all the people saw the thunder, and the lightning, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they removed, and stood in the distance.
from Deuteronomy 4:36
And it happened on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightning, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people in the camp trembled.
from Exodus 20:18
After this I looked, and look, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up here, and I will show you things which must be hereafter.
from Exodus 19:16
The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave to him, to show to his servants things which must shortly happen; and he sent and signified it by his angel to his servant John:
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Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.
From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
from Acts 20:21
In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God perhaps will give them repentance to the knowledge of the truth;
from Matthew 4:17
And when they heard that, they entered into the temple early in the morning, and taught. But the high priest came, and they that were with him, and called the council together, and all the senate of the children of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought.
from II Timothy 2:25
And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came to him; and he sat down, and taught them.
from Acts 5:21
And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him.
from John 8:2
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Be it known to you therefore, men and brothers, that through this man is preached to you the forgiveness of sins:
Then Peter said to them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
from Acts 13:38
And when she was baptized, and her household, she begged us, saying, If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and remain there. And she constrained us.
from Acts 2:38 · a strong link
And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, immediately.
from Acts 16:15
And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises to God: and the prisoners heard them.
from Acts 16:33
I call to remembrance my song in the night: I commune with my own heart: and my spirit made diligent search.
from Acts 16:25 · a strong link
Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah.
from Psalms 77:6 · a strong link
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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.
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 Acts 17:31
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
Look, a king shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall rule in judgment.
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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,
By stretching forth your hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of your holy child Jesus.
from Acts 4:27 · a strong link
Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.
from Acts 4:30
Then some of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preaches.
from Acts 3:6
And if I by Beelzebul cast out demons, by whom do your sons cast them out? therefore shall they be your judges.
from Acts 19:13
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You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, you do always resist the Holy Spirit: as your fathers did, so do you.
Yet many years did you forbear them, and testified against them by your spirit in your prophets: yet would they not give ear: therefore gave you them into the hand of the people of the lands.
from Acts 7:51
Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.
from Nehemiah 9:30
Look, my servant shall deal prudently, he shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high.
from I Peter 1:11
Who being the radiance of his glory, and the exact imprint of his nature, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself made purification for our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;
from Isaiah 52:13
And he shall stand and feed in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God; and they shall remain: for now shall he be great to the ends of the earth.
from Hebrews 1:3
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And he said to me, Depart: for I will send you far hence to the Gentiles.
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
To which I am ordained a preacher, and an apostle, (I speak the truth in Christ, and lie not;) a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and verity.
from Acts 9:15
I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Spirit,
from I Timothy 2:7
As the truth of Christ is in me, no man shall stop me of this boasting in the regions of Achaia.
from Romans 9:1
And when Gallio was the deputy of Achaia, the Jews made insurrection together against Paul, and brought him to the judgment seat,
from II Corinthians 11:10
For I know the forwardness of your mind, for which I boast of you to them of Macedonia, that Achaia was ready a year ago; and your zeal has provoked very many.
from Acts 18:12
That is the whole thread.
Every verse the cross-references reach from Deuteronomy 4:36 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