a thread opens
The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow him up.
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 bore him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth. And they said, Is not this Joseph’s son?
from Ecclesiastes 10:12
And they said, Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? how is it then that he said, I came down from heaven?
from Luke 4:22 · a strong link
For I came down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him that sent me.
from John 6:42
Jesus said to them, My food is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.
from John 6:38 · a strong link
Looking to Jesus the founder and perfecter of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
from John 4:34 · 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.
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.
Even as the Son of man came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.
from I John 3:16
Since you know that you were not redeemed with perishable things, as silver and gold, from your futile ways received by tradition from your fathers;
from Matthew 20:28 · a strong link
But we will certainly do whatever thing goes forth out of our own mouth, to burn incense to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings to her, as we have done, we, and our fathers, our kings, and our princes, in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem: for then had we plenty of provisions, and were well, and saw no evil.
from I Peter 1:18
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
For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made void.
from I Corinthians 2:13 · a strong link
And I, brothers, when I came to you, came not with excellence of speech or of wisdom, declaring to you the testimony of God.
from I Corinthians 1:17 · a strong link
And Moses said to the LORD, O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither previously, nor since you have spoken to your servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue.
from I Corinthians 2:1
And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and in deeds.
from Exodus 4:10
Children in whom was no blemish, but well favored, and skilful in all wisdom, and skilled in knowledge, and understanding science, and such as had ability in them to stand in the king’s palace, and whom they might teach the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans.
from Acts 7:22
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
And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone;
from Ephesians 4:11 · a strong link
And he saw them, and said, What is this then that is written, The stone which the builders rejected, the same has become the cornerstone?
from Ephesians 2:20
This is the stone which was set at nothing of you builders, which has become the cornerstone.
from Luke 20:17 · a strong link
The wicked flee when no man pursues: but the righteous are bold as a lion.
from Acts 4:11
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.
Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and says of him, Look, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!
from I Chronicles 29:17
Then Jesus said to those Jews which believed on him, If you continue in my word, then are you my disciples indeed;
from John 1:47
Whoever transgresses, and does not remain in the doctrine of Christ, has not God. He that remains in the doctrine of Christ, he has both the Father and the Son.
from John 8:31 · a strong link
Jesus said to him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes to the Father, but by me.
from II John 1:9
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:
That you put off your old self, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;
from I Corinthians 5:7
Therefore seeing we also are surrounded with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
from Ephesians 4:22 · a strong link
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith:
from Hebrews 12:1 · a strong link
That is the whole thread.
Every verse the cross-references reach from Ecclesiastes 10:12 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