a thread opens
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.
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.
Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one.
from Matthew 1:18
Therefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
from Job 14:4
Then when lust has conceived, it brings forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, brings forth death.
from Romans 5:12 · a strong link
Look, he labors with iniquity, and has conceived mischief, and brought forth falsehood.
from James 1:15 · a strong link
You shall conceive chaff, you shall bring forth stubble: your breath, as fire, shall devour you.
from Psalms 7:14
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
For thus says the LORD that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he has established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the LORD; and there is none else.
from Isaiah 44:24
And I will multiply men upon you, all the house of Israel, even all of it: and the cities shall be inhabited, and the wastes shall be built:
from Isaiah 45:18
Thus says the Lord GOD; I will yet for this be inquired of by the house of Israel, to do it for them; I will increase them with men like a flock.
from Ezekiel 36:10
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.
As the Father knows me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.
from I John 3:16
I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd gives his life for the sheep.
from John 10:15 · a strong link
Who his own self bore our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live to righteousness: by whose stripes you were healed.
from John 10:11
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.
For this cause we also thank God without ceasing, because, when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which is at work also in you that believe.
from I John 2:27
First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.
from I Thessalonians 2:13
For from you the word of the Lord has sounded forth not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith toward God is spread abroad; so that we need not to speak anything.
from Romans 1:8
So that we ourselves boast about you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that you endure:
from I Thessalonians 1:8
Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father;
from II Thessalonians 1:4
For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man sees, why does he yet hope for?
from I Thessalonians 1:3 · a strong link
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.
And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone;
from I Corinthians 12:28
To whom coming, as to a living stone, rejected indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious,
from Ephesians 2:20 · a strong link
This is the stone which was set at nothing of you builders, which has become the cornerstone.
from I Peter 2:4
The wicked flee when no man pursues: but the righteous are bold as a lion.
from Acts 4:11
There were they in great fear, where no fear was: for God has scattered the bones of him that encamps against you: you have put them to shame, because God has despised them.
from Proverbs 28:1 · 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.
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
The fining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold: but the LORD tries the hearts.
from Jeremiah 17:10
That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perishes, though it be tried with fire, might be found to praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:
from Proverbs 17:3
And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation works patience;
from I Peter 1:7 · a strong link
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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:
Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: you shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats:
from I Corinthians 5:7
And you shall offer that day when you wave the sheaf a he lamb without blemish of the first year for a burnt offering to the LORD.
from Exodus 12:5
And if his offering is of the flocks, namely, of the sheep, or of the goats, for a burnt sacrifice; he shall bring it a male without blemish.
from Leviticus 23:12
That is the whole thread.
Every verse the cross-references reach from Matthew 1:18 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