a thread opens
And you Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, are not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of you shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.
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.
Has not the Scripture said, That Christ comes of the seed of David, and out of the town of Bethlehem, where David was?
from Matthew 2:6 · a strong link
The LORD has sworn in truth to David; he will not turn from it; Of the fruit of your body will I set upon your throne.
from John 7:42
And when your days be fulfilled, and you shall sleep with your fathers, I will set up your seed after you, which shall proceed out of your bowels, and I will establish his kingdom.
from Psalms 132:11 · a strong link
And the LORD has performed his word that he spoke, and I have risen up in place of David my father, and sit on the throne of Israel, as the LORD promised, and have built a house for the name of the LORD God of Israel.
from II Samuel 7:12 · a strong link
And of all my sons, (for the LORD has given me many sons,) he has chosen Solomon my son to sit upon the throne of the kingdom of the LORD over Israel.
from I Kings 8:20
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.
Know therefore this day, and consider it in your heart, that the LORD he is God in heaven above, and upon the earth beneath: there is none else.
from I Corinthians 8:4
To you it was shown, so that you might know that the LORD he is God; there is none else beside him.
from Deuteronomy 4:39 · a strong link
Look to me, and be saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.
from Deuteronomy 4:35
And the LORD said to Moses, Make you a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall happen, that every one that is bitten, when he looks upon it, shall live.
from Isaiah 45:22 · a strong link
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.
And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. To him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,
from I John 3:16 · a strong link
But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanses us from all sin.
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variation, neither shadow due to change.
from I John 1:7
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 we have not followed cleverly devised myths, when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty.
from I John 2:27
Look, he comes with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.
from II Peter 1:16
The LORD is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked: the LORD has his way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet.
The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.
from Nahum 1:3
But you, O Lord, are a God full of compassion, and gracious, patience, and plenteous in mercy and truth.
from Psalms 103:8 · a strong link
For you, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy to all them that call upon you.
from Psalms 86:15
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
Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit.
from Romans 12:6
For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office:
from I Corinthians 12:4
Now you are the body of Christ, and members in particular.
from Romans 12:4
So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.
from I Corinthians 12:27 · 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
But, O LORD of hosts, that try the righteous, and see the inmost thoughts and the heart, let me see your vengeance on them: for to you have I opened my cause.
from Jeremiah 17:10 · a strong link
But, O LORD of hosts, that judge righteously, that try the inmost thoughts and the heart, let me see your vengeance on them: for to you have I revealed my cause.
from Jeremiah 20:12 · a strong link
Let them be confounded that persecute me, but let not me be confounded: let them be dismayed, but let not me be dismayed: bring upon them the day of evil, and destroy them with double destruction.
from Jeremiah 11:20
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:
The next day John saw Jesus coming to him, and said, Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.
from I Corinthians 5:7
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 John 1:29
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
from I Peter 3:18 · a strong link
That is the whole thread.
Every verse the cross-references reach from Matthew 2:6 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