a thread opens
The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.
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.
Now the birth of Jesus Christ was in this way: When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit.
from Matthew 1:1
Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one.
from Matthew 1:18
How then can man be justified with God? or how can he be clean that is born of a woman?
from Job 14:4
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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 let the priests also, which come near to the LORD, sanctify themselves, lest the LORD break forth upon them.
from Leviticus 10:3
And he sent young men of the children of Israel, which offered burnt offerings, and sacrificed peace offerings of oxen to the LORD.
from Exodus 19:22
And Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, took a burnt offering and sacrifices for God: and Aaron came, and all the elders of Israel, to eat bread with Moses’ father-in-law before God.
from Exodus 24:5
Then Jacob offered sacrifice upon the mount, and called his brothers to eat bread: and they did eat bread, and stayed all night in the mount.
from Exodus 18:12
And the child grew, and was weaned: and Abraham made a great feast the same day that Isaac was weaned.
from Genesis 31:54
And it happened the third day, which was Pharaoh’s birthday, that he made a feast to all his servants: and he lifted up the head of the chief cupbearer and of the chief baker among his servants.
from Genesis 21:8
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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,
And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me to his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
from Jude 1:24
Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who has ears to hear, let him hear.
from II Timothy 4:18
And they that are wise shall shine as the brightness of the expanse; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.
from Matthew 13:43 · a strong link
And they that understand among the people shall instruct many: yet they shall fall by the sword, and by flame, by captivity, and by plunder, many days.
from Daniel 12:3 · a strong link
Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and you shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake.
from Daniel 11:33
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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.
Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And why he slew him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous.
from Jude 1:11 · a strong link
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 John 3:12 · a strong link
And in process of time it happened, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering to the LORD.
from Hebrews 11:4 · a strong link
All the best of the oil, and all the best of the wine, and of the wheat, the firstfruits of them which they shall offer to the LORD, them have I given you.
from Genesis 4:3
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Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
Surely his salvation is near them that fear him; that glory may dwell in our land.
from Luke 2:14
For I, says the LORD, will be to her a wall of fire around, and will be the glory in the midst of her.
from Psalms 85:9 · a strong link
And the LORD will create upon every dwelling place of mount Zion, and upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night: for upon all the glory shall be a defense.
from Zechariah 2:5 · a strong link
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And shall not God give justice to his own elect, which cry day and night to him, though he bear long with them?
Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to repay with affliction those who afflict you;
from Luke 18:7
If I sharpen my glittering sword, and my hand take hold on judgment; I will render vengeance to my enemies, and will reward them that hate me.
from II Thessalonians 1:6
For my sword shall be bathed in heaven: look, it shall come down upon Edom, and upon the people of my curse, to judgment.
from Deuteronomy 32:41
Concerning Edom, thus says the LORD of hosts; Is wisdom no more in Teman? is counsel perished from the prudent? is their wisdom vanished?
from Isaiah 34:5
And Esau said to Jacob, Feed me, please, with that same red stew; for I am faint: therefore was his name called Edom.
from Jeremiah 49:7
Then the chiefs of Edom shall be amazed; the mighty men of Moab, trembling shall take hold upon them; all the inhabitants of Canaan shall melt away.
from Genesis 25:30
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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.
And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives to the death.
from Luke 14:26 · a strong link
And the God of peace shall crush Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.
from Romans 16:20
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.
from I Thessalonians 5:28
Gaius my host, and of the whole church, greets you. Erastus the city treasurer greets you, and Quartus a brother.
That is the whole thread.
Every verse the cross-references reach from Matthew 1:1 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