a thread opens
And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.
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.
And the child grew, and grew strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his showing to Israel.
from Luke 2:52
In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judea,
from Luke 1:80
And now, look, the LORD has kept me alive, as he said, these forty-five years, even since the LORD spoke this word to Moses, while the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness: and now, look, I am this day eighty and five years old.
from Matthew 3:1
Doubtless you shall not come into the land, concerning which I swore to make you dwell in it, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun.
from Joshua 14:10
And Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have lift up my hand to the LORD, the most high God, the possessor of heaven and earth,
from Numbers 14:30
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.
Look, you are of nothing, and your work of nothing: an abomination is he that chooses you.
from I Corinthians 8:4
Look, they are all vanity; their works are nothing: their cast images are wind and confusion.
from Isaiah 41:24
And the prophets shall become wind, and the word is not in them: thus shall it be done to them.
from Isaiah 41:29
Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! look, the prophets say to them, You shall not see the sword, neither shall you have famine; but I will give you assured peace in this place.
from Jeremiah 5:13
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.
But God commends his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
from I John 3:16 · a strong link
For Christ also has once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, so that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but made alive by the Spirit:
from Romans 5:8 · a strong link
Who gave himself for us, so that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify to himself a people for his own possession, zealous of good works.
from I Peter 3:18 · a strong link
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
Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Spirit;
from John 14:26 · a strong link
That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
from Titus 3:5 · a strong link
Jesus answered, Truly, truly, I say to you, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
from Ephesians 5:26 · a strong link
But we must give thanks always to God for you, brothers beloved of the Lord, because God has from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:
from John 3:5
O foolish Galatians, who has cast a spell on you, so that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ has been publicly portrayed, crucified among you?
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.
Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;
from I Corinthians 12:28
Follow after love, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that you may prophesy.
from Romans 12:6
But earnestly desire the best gifts: and yet show I to you a more excellent way.
from I Corinthians 14:1
By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaks.
from I Corinthians 12:31
And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaks better things than that of Abel.
from Hebrews 11:4 · a strong link
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.
For the word of God is living and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and discerns the thoughts and intents of the heart.
from I Chronicles 29:17
But if all prophesy, and there come in one that believes not, or one unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all:
from Hebrews 4:12 · a strong link
Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brothers, what shall we do?
from I Corinthians 14:24
When they heard that, they were cut to the heart, and took counsel to slay them.
from Acts 2:37
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:
But God judges those outside. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.
from I Corinthians 5:7
And the man that will do defiantly, and will not listen to the priest that stands to minister there before the LORD your God, or to the judge, even that man shall die: and you shall put away the evil from Israel.
from I Corinthians 5:13
For the LORD your God has chosen him out of all your tribes, to stand to minister in the name of the LORD, him and his sons for ever.
from Deuteronomy 17:12
That is the whole thread.
Every verse the cross-references reach from Luke 2:52 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