a thread opens
Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in its branches.
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 when they heard it, they glorified the Lord, and said to him, You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews there are which believe; and they are all zealous of the law:
from Matthew 13:32
And certain men who came down from Judea taught the brothers, and said, Except you be circumcised after the manner of Moses, you cannot be saved.
from Acts 21:20
Stand firm therefore in the freedom with which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with the yoke of slavery.
from Acts 15:1
Remember therefore how you have received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore you shall not watch, I will come on you as a thief, and you shall not know what hour I will come upon you.
from Galatians 5:1 · a strong link
Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour. [Not in the earliest manuscripts. King James also had: “wherein the Son of man cometh.”]
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
How long will you speak these things? and how long shall the words of your mouth be like a strong wind?
from Jeremiah 5:13
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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
Who gave himself for our sins, so that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father:
from John 10:15
Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, who has loved us, and has given us eternal comfort and good hope through grace,
from Galatians 1:4
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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.
As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk you in him:
from I John 2:27
Furthermore then we beg you, brothers, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as you have received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, so you would abound more and more.
from Colossians 2:6 · a strong link
We must thank God always for you, brothers, as is fitting, because that your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of every one of you all toward each other abounds;
from I Thessalonians 4:1 · a strong link
Seeing you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit to sincere love of the brothers, see that you love one another with a pure heart fervently:
from II Thessalonians 1:3
Now the end of the commandment is love out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of sincere faith:
from I Peter 1:22 · a strong link
I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience, that without ceasing I have remembrance of you in my prayers night and day;
from I Timothy 1:5
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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
Since you know that you were not redeemed with perishable things, as silver and gold, from your futile ways received by tradition from your fathers;
from Acts 20:28
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 1:18
For we are his handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to good works, which God has before ordained that we should walk in them.
from Titus 2:14 · a strong link
The LORD will perfect that which concerns me: your mercy, O LORD, endures for ever: forsake not the works of your own hands.
from Ephesians 2:10
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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.
You are witnesses, and God also, how holy and righteous and blamelessly we behaved ourselves among you that believe:
from I Chronicles 29:17
Neither as domineering over God’s heritage, but being examples to the flock.
from I Thessalonians 2:10
Not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an example to you to follow us.
from I Peter 5:3 · a strong link
Have we not power to eat and to drink?
from II Thessalonians 3:9
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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:
That you put off your old self, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;
from I Corinthians 5:7
In which you also walked some time, when you lived in them.
from Ephesians 4:22
In which formerly you walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now works in the children of disobedience:
from Colossians 3:7 · a strong link
That is the whole thread.
Every verse the cross-references reach from Matthew 13:32 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