a thread opens
Keep your heart with all diligence; for out of it are the springs of life.
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.
A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.
from Proverbs 4:23 · a strong link
Let no unwholesome talk proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of building up, so that it may minister grace to the hearers.
from Luke 6:45 · a strong link
The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow him up.
from Ephesians 4:29 · a strong link
Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer every man.
from Ecclesiastes 10:12
a thread opens
Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.
But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear to myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.
from Acts 20:21
Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption in Christ Jesus:
from Acts 20:24
That in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
from Romans 3:24
And they sang a new song, saying, You are worthy to take the book, and to open its seals: for you were slain, and have redeemed us to God by your blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;
from Ephesians 2:7
And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose its seals?
a thread opens
Be it known to you therefore, men and brothers, that through this man is preached to you the forgiveness of sins:
And all things are of God, who has reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and has given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
from Acts 13:38
Namely, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, not imputing their trespasses to them; and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.
from II Corinthians 5:18
I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, your transgressions, and, as a cloud, your sins: return to me; for I have redeemed you.
from II Corinthians 5:19
But now thus says the LORD that created you, O Jacob, and he that formed you, O Israel, Do not fear: for I have redeemed you, I have called you by your name; you are mine.
from Isaiah 44:22
Therefore, sirs, take courage: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me.
from Isaiah 43:1 · a strong link
He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;
from Acts 27:25
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.
When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:
from Acts 17:31
Hereafter shall the Son of man sit on the right hand of the power of God.
from Matthew 25:31
And Jesus said, I am: and you shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.
from Luke 22:69
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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
For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that you through his poverty might be rich.
from Acts 3:6
Moreover the law entered, so that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:
from II Corinthians 8:9
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.
Circumcise yourselves to the LORD, and take away the foreskins of your heart, you men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem: lest my fury come forth like fire, and burn that none can quench it, because of the evil of your doings.
from Acts 7:51
Look, the name of the LORD comes from afar, burning with his anger, and its burden is heavy: his lips are full of indignation, and his tongue as a devouring fire:
from Jeremiah 4:4
And its streams shall be turned into pitch, and its dust into brimstone, and its land shall become burning pitch.
from Isaiah 30:27
Upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, and a horrible tempest: this shall be the portion of their cup.
from Isaiah 34:9
It shall dwell in his tabernacle, because it is none of his: brimstone shall be scattered upon his habitation.
from Psalms 11:6
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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
At my first defense no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge.
from Acts 9:15
And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.
from II Timothy 4:16 · a strong link
But I do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, concerning them which are asleep, so that you may not grieve, even as others which have no hope.
from Acts 7:60
That at that time you were without Christ, being excluded from the citizenship of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:
from I Thessalonians 4:13 · a strong link
However then, when you knew not God, you did service to them which by nature are no gods.
from Ephesians 2:12 · a strong link
That is the whole thread.
Every verse the cross-references reach from Proverbs 4:23 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