a thread opens
And you shall take no gift: for the gift blinds the wise, and perverts the words of the righteous.
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.
A wicked man takes a gift out of the bosom to pervert the ways of judgment.
from Exodus 23:8
That they may do evil with both hands earnestly, the prince asks, and the judge asks for a reward; and the great man, he utters his mischievous desire: so they wrap it up.
from Proverbs 17:23
For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall.
from Micah 7:3
Woe to them that devise iniquity, and work evil upon their beds! when the morning is light, they practice it, because it is in the power of their hand.
from Proverbs 4:16
It is in the power of my hand to do you hurt: but the God of your father spoke to me yesternight, saying, Take heed that you speak not to Jacob either good or bad.
from Micah 2:1
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.
One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
from I Corinthians 8:4
And there are varieties of workings, but it is the same God which works all in all.
from Ephesians 4:6
Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.
from I Corinthians 12:6
For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision; but faith which works by love.
from Colossians 3:11 · a strong link
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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
As the Father knows me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.
from Matthew 20:28 · a strong link
Who his own self bore our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live to righteousness: by whose stripes you were healed.
from John 10:15
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.
But the Helper, which is the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatever I have said to you.
from I John 2:27 · a strong link
But they rebelled, and troubled his holy Spirit: therefore he was turned to be their enemy, and he fought against them.
from John 14:26
How often did they provoke him in the wilderness, and grieve him in the desert!
from Isaiah 63:10 · a strong link
Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness:
from Psalms 78:40
You shall not tempt the LORD your God, as you tempted him in Massah.
from Psalms 95:8
And Jesus answering said to him, It is said, You shall not tempt the Lord your God.
from Deuteronomy 6:16 · a strong link
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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.
Take heed therefore to yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he has purchased with his own blood.
from I Corinthians 12:28
Obey your leaders, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.
from Acts 20:28
Likewise, you younger, submit yourselves to the elder. Yes, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resists the proud, and gives grace to the humble.
from Hebrews 13:17
Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.
from I Peter 5:5 · a strong link
Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit; but in humility of mind let each count others better than themselves.
from Ephesians 5:21 · a strong link
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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.
I the LORD search the heart, I try the inmost thoughts, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.
from I Chronicles 29:17 · a strong link
Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:
from Jeremiah 17:10 · a strong link
And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The LORD is my God.
from Psalms 139:23 · a strong link
And you shall be my people, and I will be your God.
from Zechariah 13:9 · a strong link
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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:
But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
from I Corinthians 5:7
Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.
from I Peter 1:19
For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.
from Hebrews 9:12
That is the whole thread.
Every verse the cross-references reach from Exodus 23:8 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