a thread opens
Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.
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.
There is no end of all the people, even of all that have been before them: they also that come after shall not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and trouble of spirit.
from Ecclesiastes 1:2
I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and indeed, all is vanity and trouble of spirit.
from Ecclesiastes 4:16
Then I looked on all the works that my hands had worked, and on the labor that I had labored to do: and indeed, all was vanity and trouble of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun.
from Ecclesiastes 1:14 · a strong link
For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
from Ecclesiastes 2:11
a thread opens
Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.
When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then has God also to the Gentiles granted repentance to life.
from Acts 20:21
For godly sorrow works repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world works death.
from Acts 11:18 · a strong link
For you know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.
from II Corinthians 7:10
For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Spirit,
from Hebrews 12:17
For by grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
from Hebrews 6:4
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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:
And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
from Acts 13:38 · a strong link
And saying, Repent you: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
from Luke 24:47
And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent you, and believe the gospel.
from Matthew 3:2 · a strong link
Whether of them two did the will of his father? They say to him, The first. Jesus said to them, Truly I say to you, That the tax collectors and the prostitutes go into the kingdom of God before you.
from Mark 1:15
And all the people that heard him, and the tax collectors, justified God, being baptized with the baptism of John.
from Matthew 21:31 · a strong link
Then came also tax collectors to be baptized, and said to him, Teacher, what shall we do?
from Luke 7:29 · a strong link
a thread opens
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.
When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:
from Acts 17:31
And he said to him, Truly, truly, I say to you, Hereafter you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.
from Matthew 25:31
And said, Look, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.
from John 1:51 · a strong link
a thread opens
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
Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God has made that same Jesus, whom you have crucified, both Lord and Christ.
from Acts 3:6
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he has done, whether it be good or bad.
from Acts 2:36
a thread opens
You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, you do always resist the Holy Spirit: as your fathers did, so do you.
For I know your rebellion, and your stiff neck: look, while I am yet alive with you this day, you have been rebellious against the LORD; and how much more after my death?
from Acts 7:51
You have been rebellious against the LORD from the day that I knew you.
from Deuteronomy 31:27
Understand therefore, that the LORD your God gives you not this good land to possess it for your righteousness; for you are a stiff-necked people.
from Deuteronomy 9:24
Circumcise therefore your heart, and be no more stiff-necked.
from Deuteronomy 9:6
O Jerusalem, wash your heart from wickedness, so that you may be saved. How long shall your vain thoughts lodge within you?
from Deuteronomy 10:16
a thread opens
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
For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify my office:
from Acts 9:15
That I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, so that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Spirit.
from Romans 11:13
And I will set a sign among them, and I will send those that escape of them to the nations, to Tarshish, Pul, and Lud, that draw the bow, to Tubal, and Javan, to the isles in the distance, that have not heard my fame, neither have seen my glory; and they shall declare my glory among the Gentiles.
from Romans 15:16
Surely the isles shall wait for me, and the ships of Tarshish first, to bring your sons from afar, their silver and their gold with them, to the name of the LORD your God, and to the Holy One of Israel, because he has glorified you.
from Isaiah 66:19
Sing to the LORD a new song, and his praise from the end of the earth, you that go down to the sea, and all that is in it; the isles, and its inhabitants.
from Isaiah 60:9
That is the whole thread.
Every verse the cross-references reach from Ecclesiastes 1:2 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