a thread opens
The grass withers, the flower fades: because the spirit of the LORD blows upon it: surely the people is grass.
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.
His breath kindles coals, and a flame goes out of his mouth.
from Isaiah 40:7
There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it.
from Job 41:21
You shall make them as a fiery oven in the time of your anger: the LORD shall swallow them up in his wrath, and the fire shall devour them.
from Psalms 18:8
Then shall he speak to them in his wrath, and trouble them in his great displeasure.
from Psalms 21:9
But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.
from Psalms 2:5
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
There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female: for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
from Colossians 3:11
a thread opens
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.
And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. To him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,
from I John 3:16 · a strong link
But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
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
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.
Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teaches, but which the Holy Spirit teaches; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
from I John 2:27
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
from I Corinthians 2:13
Therefore shall you lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, so that they may be as bands between your eyes.
from Colossians 3:16
And it shall be for a token upon your hand, and for bands between your eyes: for by strength of hand the LORD brought us forth out of Egypt.
from Deuteronomy 11:18
But all their works they do to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments,
from Exodus 13:16
You shall make you tassels upon the four quarters of your vesture, with which you cover yourself.
from Matthew 23:5
a thread opens
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
An overseer then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behavior, given to hospitality, apt to teach;
from Acts 20:28
And let these also first be proved; then let them serve as deacons, being found blameless.
from I Timothy 3:2
Lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be partaker of other men’s sins: keep yourself pure.
from I Timothy 3:10
For he that gives him a greeting shares in his evil deeds.
from I Timothy 5:22
a thread opens
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
But I will punish you according to the fruit of your doings, says the LORD: and I will kindle a fire in its forest, and it shall devour all things around it.
from Jeremiah 17:10
And burned the house of the LORD, and the king’s house; and all the houses of Jerusalem, and all the houses of the great men, he burned with fire:
from Jeremiah 21:14
The Lord has cast off his altar, he has abhorred his sanctuary, he has given up into the hand of the enemy the walls of her palaces; they have made a noise in the house of the LORD, as in the day of a solemn feast.
from Jeremiah 52:13
a thread opens
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:
And it was the preparation of the Passover, and about the sixth hour: and he said to the Jews, Look, your King!
from I Corinthians 5:7
Then Jesus came forth, wearing the crown of thorns, and the purple robe. And Pilate said to them, Look, the man!
from John 19:14
And the soldiers platted a crown of thorns, and put it on his head, and they put on him a purple robe,
from John 19:5
That is the whole thread.
Every verse the cross-references reach from Isaiah 40:7 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