a thread opens
And that you aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you;
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.
Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labor, working with his hands the thing which is good, so that he may have to give to him that needs.
from I Thessalonians 4:11 · a strong link
That they do good, that they be rich in good works, generous and willing to share;
from Ephesians 4:28
Or he that exhorts, on exhortation: he that gives, let him do it with simplicity; he that rules, with diligence; he that shows mercy, with cheerfulness.
from I Timothy 6:18
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 said to me, You are my servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified.
from Leviticus 10:3
Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, you, and your fellows that sit before you: for they are men wondered at: for, look, I will bring forth my servant the BRANCH.
from Isaiah 49:3
And now, says the LORD that formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob again to him, Though Israel be not gathered, yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the LORD, and my God shall be my strength.
from Zechariah 3:8
Who has gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject to him.
from Isaiah 49:5
Who being the radiance of his glory, and the exact imprint of his nature, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself made purification for our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;
from I Peter 3:22
Who is he that condemns? It is Christ that died, yes rather, that has risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.
from Hebrews 1:3
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 to him that is of power to establish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,
from Jude 1:24
To which he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
from Romans 16:25
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
Which is a clear evidence of the righteous judgment of God, so that you may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you also suffer:
from Romans 8:28
And in nothing terrified by your adversaries: which is to them a clear sign of destruction, but to you of salvation, and that of God.
from II Thessalonians 1:5 · a strong link
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
And shall say, Build up, build up, prepare the way, take up the stumbling block out of the way of my people.
And a highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err in it.
from Isaiah 57:14
As obedient children, not conforming yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:
from Isaiah 35:8
a thread opens
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
Therefore the redeemed of the LORD shall return, and come with singing to Zion; and everlasting joy shall be upon their head: they shall obtain gladness and joy; and sorrow and mourning shall flee away.
from Isaiah 55:12
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?
Now she that is a widow indeed, and desolate, trusts in God, and continues in supplications and prayers night and day.
from Luke 18:7
But I would have you without anxiety. He that is unmarried cares for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please the Lord:
from I Timothy 5:5
Cast your burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain you: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.
from I Corinthians 7:32
He will keep the feet of his saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness; for by strength shall no man prevail.
from Psalms 55:22 · a strong link
Yes, he loved the people; all his saints are in your hand: and they sat down at your feet; every one shall receive of your words.
from I Samuel 2:9
I am truly a man which am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, yet brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, and taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers, and was zealous toward God, as you all are this day.
from Deuteronomy 33:3
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.
Yes doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them as rubbish, so that I may win Christ,
from Luke 14:26 · a strong link
Thus says the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches:
from Philippians 3:8 · a strong link
Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
from Jeremiah 9:23
Every man is brutish in his knowledge: every founder is confounded by the carved image: for his cast image is falsehood, and there is no breath in them.
from Romans 1:22
They shall be turned back, they shall be greatly ashamed, that trust in carved images, that say to the cast images, You are our gods.
from Jeremiah 10:14
That is the whole thread.
Every verse the cross-references reach from I Thessalonians 4:11 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