a thread opens
And as Jesus went on from there, he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the tax booth: and he said to him, Follow me. And he arose, and followed him.
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 as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax booth, and said to him, Follow me. And he arose and followed him.
from Matthew 9:9
And Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddeus, and Simon the Canaanite,
from Mark 2:14
And when they had come in, they went up into an upper room, where remained both Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew, Philip, and Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas the brother of James.
from Mark 3:18 · a strong link
Now the names of the twelve apostles are these; The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother;
from Acts 1:13
a thread opens
Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.
And this is the testimony, that God has given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.
from Acts 20:21
For as the Father has life in himself; so has he given to the Son to have life in himself;
from I John 5:11
Who only has immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach to; whom no man has seen, nor can see: to whom be honor and power everlasting. Amen.
from John 5:26
Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.
from I Timothy 6:16 · a strong link
Which in his times he shall show, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords;
from I Timothy 1:17
a thread opens
Be it known to you therefore, men and brothers, that through this man is preached to you the forgiveness of sins:
I write to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name’s sake.
from Acts 13:38
Nevertheless he saved them for his name’s sake, so that he might make his mighty power to be known.
from I John 2:12
But I worked for my name’s sake, so that it should not be polluted before the pagans, in whose sight I brought them out.
from Psalms 106:8
But I worked for my name’s sake, so that it should not be polluted before the pagans, among whom they were, in whose sight I made myself known to them, in bringing them forth out of the land of Egypt.
from Ezekiel 20:14
So will I make my holy name known in the midst of my people Israel; and I will not let them pollute my holy name any more: and the pagans shall know that I am the LORD, the Holy One in Israel.
from Ezekiel 20:9
And you shall come up against my people of Israel, as a cloud to cover the land; it shall be in the latter days, and I will bring you against my land, that the pagans may know me, when I shall be sanctified in you, O Gog, before their eyes.
from Ezekiel 39:7 · a strong link
a thread opens
Because he has appointed a day, in which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he has ordained; of which he has given assurance to all men, in that he has raised him from the dead.
In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.
from Acts 17:31
According to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, who was committed to my trust.
from Romans 2:16 · a strong link
In whom the god of this world has blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine to them.
from I Timothy 1:11
a thread opens
For truly against your holy child Jesus, whom you have anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together,
By stretching forth your hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of your holy child Jesus.
from Acts 4:27 · a strong link
Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.
from Acts 4:30
And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out demons; they shall speak with new tongues;
from Acts 3:6
There came also a multitude out of the cities around to Jerusalem, bringing sick folks, and them which were troubled with unclean spirits: and they were healed every one.
from Mark 16:17 · a strong link
a thread opens
You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, you do always resist the Holy Spirit: as your fathers did, so do you.
And that I also have walked contrary to them, and have brought them into the land of their enemies; if then their uncircumcised hearts be humbled, and they then accept of the punishment of their iniquity:
from Acts 7:51 · a strong link
Look, the days come, says the LORD, that I will punish all them which are circumcised with the uncircumcised;
from Leviticus 26:41
But to them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath,
from Jeremiah 9:25
Take heed, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.
from Romans 2:8
Thus says the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusts in man, and makes flesh his arm, and whose heart departs from the LORD.
from Hebrews 3:12 · a strong link
a thread opens
And he said to me, Depart: for I will send you far hence to the Gentiles.
But the Lord said to him, Go your way: for he is a chosen vessel to me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:
from Acts 22:21 · a strong link
To which I am ordained a preacher, and an apostle, (I speak the truth in Christ, and lie not;) a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and verity.
from Acts 9:15
I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Spirit,
from I Timothy 2:7
Now the things which I write to you, look, before God, I lie not.
from Romans 9:1 · a strong link
The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is blessed for evermore, knows that I lie not.
from Galatians 1:20
I and my Father are one.
from II Corinthians 11:31
That is the whole thread.
Every verse the cross-references reach from Matthew 9:9 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