a thread opens
For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb.
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.
For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine; and you say, He has a devil.
from Luke 1:15 · a strong link
And John was clothed with camel’s hair, and with a belt of a skin about his loins; and he did eat locusts and wild honey;
from Luke 7:33
Even these of them you may eat; the locust according to their kinds, and the bald locust according to their kinds, and the beetle according to their kinds, and the grasshopper according to their kinds.
from Mark 1:6
Else, if you refuse to let my people go, look, tomorrow will I bring the locusts into your coast:
from Leviticus 11:22
The locusts have no king, yet go they forth all of them by bands;
from Exodus 10:4
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.
Thus says the LORD, your redeemer, and he that formed you from the womb, I am the LORD that makes all things; that stretches forth the heavens alone; that spreads abroad the earth by myself;
from I Corinthians 8:4
And forget the LORD your maker, that has stretched forth the heavens, and laid the foundations of the earth; and have feared continually every day because of the fury of the oppressor, as if he were ready to destroy? and where is the fury of the oppressor?
from Isaiah 44:24
Because you have forgotten the God of your salvation, and have not been mindful of the rock of your strength, therefore shall you plant pleasant plants, and shall set it with strange slips:
from Isaiah 51:13
Look, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also has become my salvation.
from Isaiah 17:10
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.
He who says that he remains in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.
from I John 3:16
And now, little children, remain in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.
from I John 2:6
And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.
from I John 2:28
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 you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things.
from I John 2:27 · a strong link
Saying, Leave us alone; what have we to do with you, you Jesus of Nazareth? have you come to destroy us? I know you who you are, the Holy One of God.
from I John 2:20 · a strong link
And they cried out, saying, What have we to do with you, Jesus, you Son of God? have you come here to torment us before the time?
from Mark 1:24 · a strong link
And David said, What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah, that you should this day be adversaries to me? shall there any man be put to death this day in Israel? for do not I know that I am this day king over Israel?
from Matthew 8:29
And I am this day weak, though anointed king; and these men the sons of Zeruiah be too hard for me: the LORD shall reward the doer of evil according to his wickedness.
from II Samuel 19:22
Their blood shall therefore return upon the head of Joab, and upon the head of his seed for ever: but upon David, and upon his seed, and upon his house, and upon his throne, shall there be peace for ever from the LORD.
from II Samuel 3:39
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.
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 I Corinthians 12:28 · a strong link
And we beg you, brothers, to know them which labor among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you;
from Hebrews 13:17
But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.
from I Thessalonians 5:12
Whom we preach, admonishing everyone, and teaching everyone in all wisdom; that we may present everyone mature in Christ Jesus:
from I Corinthians 15:10
However we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nothing:
from Colossians 1:28
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.
Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and says of him, Look, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!
from I Chronicles 29:17
And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God.
from John 1:47
That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you.
from Ephesians 5:27
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:
For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread.
from I Corinthians 5:7
Now you are the body of Christ, and members in particular.
from I Corinthians 10:17
For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.
from I Corinthians 12:27
That is the whole thread.
Every verse the cross-references reach from Luke 1:15 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