a thread opens
See what I have seen: it is good and beautiful for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labor that he takes under the sun all the days of his life, which God gives him: for it is his portion.
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.
I know that there is no good in them, but for a man to rejoice, and to do good in his life.
from Ecclesiastes 5:18
Therefore I perceive that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his own works; for that is his portion: for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him?
from Ecclesiastes 3:12
Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice.
from Ecclesiastes 3:22
a thread opens
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.
And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, that he shall follow after them; and I will be honored upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host; that the Egyptians may know that I am the LORD. And they did so.
from Leviticus 10:3
And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and multiply my signs and my wonders in the land of Egypt.
from Exodus 14:4
And the LORD said to Moses, Pharaoh shall not listen to you; that my wonders may be multiplied in the land of Egypt.
from Exodus 7:3 · a strong link
And I am sure that the king of Egypt will not let you go, no, not by a mighty hand.
from Exodus 11:9
And Pharaoh said, Who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the LORD, neither will I let Israel go.
from Exodus 3:19 · a strong link
Who are they among all the gods of the countries, that have delivered their country out of my hand, so that the LORD should deliver Jerusalem out of my hand?
from Exodus 5:2 · a strong link
a thread opens
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,
Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,
from Jude 1:24
Whom God has raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be held of it.
from Hebrews 13:20 · a strong link
Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead;)
from Acts 2:24
But I certify you, brothers, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man.
from Galatians 1:1 · a strong link
But as it is written, Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for them that love him.
from Galatians 1:11
a thread opens
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.
But I have a few things against you, because you have there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality.
from Jude 1:11
It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor anything whereby your brother stumbles, or is offended, or is made weak.
Therefore, if food make my brother stumble, I will eat no flesh while the world stands, lest I make my brother stumble.
from Romans 14:21 · a strong link
Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not?
from I Corinthians 8:13
a thread opens
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
from Luke 2:14
Be it known to you therefore, men and brothers, that through this man is preached to you the forgiveness of sins:
from Romans 5:1 · a strong link
I write to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name’s sake.
from Acts 13:38
a thread opens
And shall not God give justice to his own elect, which cry day and night to him, though he bear long with them?
The Lord is not slow concerning his promise, as some men count slowness; but is patience toward us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
from Luke 18:7
And therefore will the LORD wait, that he may be gracious to you, and therefore will he be exalted, that he may have mercy upon you: for the LORD is a God of judgment: blessed are all they that wait for him.
from II Peter 3:9 · a strong link
And account that the patience of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given to him has written to you;
from Isaiah 30:18
However for this cause I obtained mercy, so that in me first Jesus Christ might show forth all patience, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to eternal life.
from II Peter 3:15
That in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
from I Timothy 1:16
Whereas you have been forsaken and hated, so that no man went through you, I will make you an eternal excellence, a joy of many generations.
from Ephesians 2:7
a thread opens
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.
He that loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
from Luke 14:26 · a strong link
Jesus said to him, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.
from Matthew 10:37 · a strong link
And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbor as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.
from Matthew 22:37 · a strong link
But if you had known what this means, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, you would not have condemned the guiltless.
from Mark 12:33 · a strong link
For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.
from Matthew 12:7 · a strong link
That is the whole thread.
Every verse the cross-references reach from Ecclesiastes 5:18 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