a thread opens
Even as the Son of man came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.
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.
Then he is gracious to him, and said, Deliver him from going down to the pit: I have found a ransom.
from Matthew 20:28
None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him:
from Job 33:24
For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
from Psalms 49:7
For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away?
from Matthew 16:26 · a strong link
And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have much goods laid up for many years; take your ease, eat, drink, and be merry.
from Luke 9:25
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
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 Deuteronomy 4:35 · a strong link
I have made the earth, and created man upon it: I, even my hands, have stretched out the heavens, and all their host have I commanded.
from Isaiah 45:18
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.
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, so that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
from I John 3:16 · a strong link
But go and learn what that means, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
from John 3:16 · a strong link
And he spoke this parable to them, saying,
from Matthew 9:13 · 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.
However when he, the Spirit of truth, has come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come.
from I John 2:27
But when the Helper has come, whom I will send to you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceeds from the Father, he shall testify of me:
from John 16:13 · a strong link
This Jesus has God raised up, of which we all are witnesses.
from John 15:26
And killed the Prince of life, whom God has raised from the dead; of which we are witnesses.
from Acts 2:32
And this is the testimony, that God has given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.
from Acts 3:15
Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? you have the words of eternal life.
from I John 5:11
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.
Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially they who labor in the word and doctrine.
from I Corinthians 12:28
Receive him therefore in the Lord with all gladness; and honor such people:
from I Timothy 5:17 · a strong link
And we beg you, brothers, to know them which labor among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you;
from Philippians 2:29
But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.
from I Thessalonians 5:12
For I say, through the grace given to me, to every man among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God has dealt to every man the measure of faith.
from I Corinthians 15:10 · 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.
They that are of a perverse heart are abomination to the LORD: but such as are upright in their way are his delight.
from I Chronicles 29:17
א ALEPH. Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD.
from Proverbs 11:20
That they may walk in my statutes, and keep my ordinances, and do them: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God.
from Psalms 119:1 · a strong link
And you shall be my people, and I will be your God.
from Ezekiel 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:
Seven days shall you eat unleavened bread; even the first day you shall put away leaven out of your houses: for whoever eats leavened bread from the first day until the seventh day, that soul shall be cut off from Israel.
from I Corinthians 5:7
And the uncircumcised male whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he has broken my covenant.
from Exodus 12:15 · a strong link
And it happened by the way in the inn, that the LORD met him, and sought to kill him.
from Genesis 17:14
That is the whole thread.
Every verse the cross-references reach from Matthew 20:28 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