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That which has been is now; and that which is to be has already been; and God requires that which is past.
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.
That which has been is named already, and it is known that it is man: neither may he contend with him that is mightier than he.
from Ecclesiastes 3:15 · a strong link
For he is not a man, as I am, so that I should answer him, and we should come together in judgment.
from Ecclesiastes 6:10 · a strong link
No but, O man, who are you that reply against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why have you made me thus?
from Job 9:32 · a strong link
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Then Moses said to Aaron, This is it that the LORD spoke, saying, I will be sanctified in them that come near me, and before all the people I will be glorified. And Aaron held his peace.
They shall be holy to their God, and not profane the name of their God: for the offerings of the LORD made by fire, and the bread of their God, they do offer: therefore they shall be holy.
from Leviticus 10:3
And the priest shall burn it upon the altar: it is the food of the offering made by fire to the LORD.
from Leviticus 21:6 · a strong link
Speak to Aaron, saying, Whoever he be of your seed in their generations that has any blemish, let him not approach to offer the bread of his God.
from Leviticus 3:11 · a strong link
Blessed is the man whom you choose, and cause to approach to you, so that he may dwell in your courts: we shall be satisfied with the goodness of your house, even of your holy temple.
from Leviticus 21:17
They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat.
from Psalms 65:4
Therefore thus says the Lord GOD, Look, my servants shall eat, but you shall be hungry: look, my servants shall drink, but you shall be thirsty: look, my servants shall rejoice, but you shall be ashamed:
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Now to him that is able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,
That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
from Jude 1:24 · a strong link
But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
from Ephesians 5:27
In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:
from I Peter 1:19
And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.
from Colossians 1:14 · a strong link
And the priest shall make an atonement for him before the LORD: and it shall be forgiven him for anything of all that he has done in trespassing in it.
from Hebrews 9:22 · a strong link
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Woe to them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the rebellion of Korah.
And in process of time it happened, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering to the LORD.
from Jude 1:11
All the best of the oil, and all the best of the wine, and of the wheat, the firstfruits of them which they shall offer to the LORD, them have I given you.
from Genesis 4:3
The first of the firstfruits of your land you shall bring to the house of the LORD your God. You shall not boil a young goat in his mother’s milk.
from Numbers 18:12
That you shall take of the first of all the fruit of the earth, which you shall bring of your land that the LORD your God gives you, and shall put it in a basket, and shall go to the place which the LORD your God shall choose to place his name there.
from Exodus 34:26
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Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
Let the heaven and earth praise him, the seas, and everything that moves in it.
from Luke 2:14
For you shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.
from Psalms 69:34
Go forth of Babylon, flee you from the Chaldeans, with a voice of singing declare you, tell this, utter it even to the end of the earth; say, The LORD has redeemed his servant Jacob.
from Isaiah 55:12 · a strong link
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And shall not God give justice to his own elect, which cry day and night to him, though he bear long with them?
And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, do you not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?
from Luke 18:7 · a strong link
Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to repay with affliction those who afflict you;
from Revelation of John 6:10 · a strong link
If I sharpen my glittering sword, and my hand take hold on judgment; I will render vengeance to my enemies, and will reward them that hate me.
from II Thessalonians 1:6
For my sword shall be bathed in heaven: look, it shall come down upon Edom, and upon the people of my curse, to judgment.
from Deuteronomy 32:41
Who is this that comes from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? this that is glorious in his apparel, travelling in the greatness of his strength? I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save.
from Isaiah 34:5
Saying, We give you thanks, O Lord God Almighty, who are, and were, and are to come; because you have taken to you your great power, and have reigned.
from Isaiah 63:1
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If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brothers, and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.
And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives to the death.
from Luke 14:26 · a strong link
These things I have spoken to you, that in me you might have peace. In the world you shall have tribulation: but take courage; I have overcome the world.
from Revelation of John 12:11 · a strong link
Therefore, brothers, we were comforted over you in all our affliction and distress by your faith:
from John 16:33
Who comforts us in all our tribulation, so that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted of God.
from I Thessalonians 3:7
Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, even as also you do.
from II Corinthians 1:4
That is the whole thread.
Every verse the cross-references reach from Ecclesiastes 3:15 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