a thread opens
As he came forth of his mother’s womb, naked shall he return to go as he came, and shall take nothing of his labor, which he may carry away in his hand.
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 said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return there: the LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.
from Ecclesiastes 5:15 · a strong link
In the sweat of your face shall you eat bread, till you return to the ground; for out of it were you taken: for dust you are, and to dust shall you return.
from Job 1:21
Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return to God who gave it.
from Genesis 3:19 · a strong link
Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection to the Father of spirits, and live?
from Ecclesiastes 12:7
a thread opens
Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.
Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love to all the saints,
from Acts 20:21
Hearing of your love and faith, which you have toward the Lord Jesus, and toward all saints;
from Ephesians 1:15 · a strong link
Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which you have to all the saints,
from Philemon 1:5 · a strong link
Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father;
from Colossians 1:4
Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, since you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.
from I Thessalonians 1:3
a thread opens
Be it known to you therefore, men and brothers, that through this man is preached to you the forgiveness of sins:
Him has God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Savior, to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.
from Acts 13:38
And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the world.
from Acts 5:31
But when the Helper has come, whom I will send to you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceeds from the Father, he shall testify of me:
from I John 4:14
And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.
from John 15:26
And it shall be in that day, that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem; half of them toward the former sea, and half of them toward the hinder sea: in summer and in winter shall it be.
from Revelation of John 22:1 · a strong link
They shall not hunger nor thirst; neither shall the heat nor sun strike them: for he that has mercy on them shall lead them, even by the springs of water shall he guide them.
from Zechariah 14:8
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.
But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved to fire for the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.
from Acts 17:31
Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.
from II Peter 3:7
My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that has gone out of my lips.
from Matthew 24:35 · 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
How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.
from Acts 3:6 · a strong link
The same came to Jesus by night, and said to him, Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that you do, except God be with him.
from Acts 10:38 · a strong link
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.
To whom our fathers would not obey, but thrust him from them, and in their hearts turned back again into Egypt,
from Acts 7:51
And why has the LORD brought us to this land, to fall by the sword, so that our wives and our children should be a prey? were it not better for us to return into Egypt?
from Acts 7:39
But your little ones, which you said should be a prey, them will I bring in, and they shall know the land which you have despised.
from Numbers 14:3
Yes, they despised the pleasant land, they believed not his word:
from Numbers 14:31
But I said, How shall I put you among the children, and give you a pleasant land, a fine heritage of the hosts of nations? and I said, You shall call me, My father; and shall not turn away from me.
from Psalms 106:24
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
To reveal his Son in me, so that I might preach him among the pagans; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood:
from Romans 11:13
And Jesus answered him, Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah: for flesh and blood has not revealed it to you, but my Father in heaven.
from Galatians 1:16 · a strong link
May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;
from Matthew 16:17
I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
from Ephesians 3:18
That is the whole thread.
Every verse the cross-references reach from Ecclesiastes 5:15 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