a thread opens
The mystery of the seven stars which you saw in my right hand, and the seven golden lampstands. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven lampstands which you saw are the seven churches.
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 to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things says he who is holy, he that is true, he that has the key of David, he that opens, and no man shuts; and shuts, and no man opens;
Look, he breaks down, and it cannot be built again: he shuts up a man, and there can be no opening.
from Revelation of John 3:7 · a strong link
Whereas Edom says, We are impoverished, but we will return and build the desolate places; thus says the LORD of hosts, They shall build, but I will throw down; and they shall call them, The border of wickedness, and, The people against whom the LORD has indignation for ever.
from Job 12:14
I will make you perpetual desolations, and your cities shall not return: and you shall know that I am the LORD.
from Malachi 1:4
And the slain shall fall in the midst of you, and you shall know that I am the LORD.
from Ezekiel 35:9
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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.
For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;
from I Corinthians 8:4
And in the midst of the seven lampstands one like to the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and belted about the paps with a golden belt.
from I Timothy 2:5
And the woven waistband of his ephod, that was upon it, was of the same, according to its work; of gold, blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twisted linen; as the LORD commanded Moses.
For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread:
from Exodus 39:5
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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.
In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, so that we might live through him.
from I John 3:16 · a strong link
In this is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins.
from I John 4:9 · a strong link
But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love with which he loved us,
from I John 4:10 · a strong link
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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.
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
I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and you do that which you have seen with your father.
from John 16:13
He that loves me not keeps not my sayings: and the word which you hear is not mine, but the Father’s which sent me.
from John 8:38
Then shall he say also to them on the left hand, Depart from me, you cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
from John 14:24
Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;
from Matthew 25:41
And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
from II Thessalonians 1:9
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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.
Greet all your leaders, and all the saints. They of Italy greet you.
from I Corinthians 12:28 · a strong link
And found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, lately come from Italy, with his wife Priscilla; (because that Claudius had commanded all Jews to depart from Rome:) and came to them.
from Hebrews 13:24
The churches of Asia greet you. Aquila and Priscilla greet you much in the Lord, with the church in their house.
from Acts 18:2 · a strong link
Greet Philologus, and Julia, Nereus, and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints which are with them.
from I Corinthians 16:19
That you receive her in the Lord, as becomes saints, and that you assist her in whatever business she has need of you: for she has been a patron of many, and of myself also.
from Romans 16:15
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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.
For we have great joy and comfort in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed by you, brother.
from I Chronicles 29:17
The Lord give mercy to the house of Onesiphorus; for he often refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain:
from Philemon 1:7
For this cause therefore have I called for you, to see you, and to speak with you: because that for the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain.
from II Timothy 1:16
And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God to our fathers:
from Acts 28:20
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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:
But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
from I Corinthians 5:7
Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:
from I Peter 1:19
And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.
from I Peter 2:22 · a strong link
That is the whole thread.
Every verse the cross-references reach from Revelation of John 1:20 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