a thread opens
For if you were cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and were grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which are the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?
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 if some of the branches be broken off, and you, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them, and with them partake of the root and fatness of the olive tree;
from Romans 11:24
The trees went forth on a time to anoint a king over them; and they said to the olive tree, Reign you over us.
from Romans 11:17
And Jehoash the king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, The thistle in Lebanon sent to the cedar in Lebanon, saying, Give your daughter to my son to wife: and there passed by a wild beast in Lebanon, and trode down the thistle.
from Judges 9:8
When the men of Israel saw that they were hard pressed, (for the people were distressed,) then the people did hide themselves in caves, and in thickets, and in rocks, and in high places, and in pits.
from II Kings 14:9
a thread opens
Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.
And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
from Acts 20:21
Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made to the fathers:
from Luke 24:47
Look therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in his goodness: otherwise you also shall be cut off.
from Romans 15:8
And let us not be weary in doing good: for in due season we shall reap, if we do not lose heart.
from Romans 11:22
For so is the will of God, that with doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men:
from Galatians 6:9 · a strong link
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
To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whoever believes in him shall receive remission of sins.
from I John 2:12 · a strong link
For the Scripture says, Whoever believes on him shall not be ashamed.
from Acts 10:43
Blessed is the man that trusts in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is.
from Romans 10:11
A Song of Ascents. They that trust in the LORD shall be as mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but remains for ever.
from Jeremiah 17:7 · a strong link
For the moth shall eat them up like a garment, and the worm shall eat them like wool: but my righteousness shall be for ever, and my salvation from generation to generation.
from Psalms 125:1
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
But the LORD shall endure for ever: he has prepared his throne for judgment.
from Matthew 25:31
Justice and judgment are the habitation of your throne: mercy and truth shall go before your face.
from Psalms 9:7
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,
And when they had bound him, they led him away, and delivered him to Pontius Pilate the governor.
from Acts 4:27 · a strong link
I give you charge in the sight of God, who gives life to all things, and before Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession;
from Matthew 27:2
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 Timothy 6:13
And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, All power is given to me in heaven and in earth.
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.
To a land flowing with milk and honey: for I will not go up in the midst of you; for you are a stiff-necked people: lest I consume you in the way.
from Acts 7:51
Separate yourselves from among this congregation, so that I may consume them in a moment.
from Exodus 33:3
How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment! they are utterly consumed with terrors.
from Numbers 16:21
For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman; and they shall not escape.
from Psalms 73:19
And as it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man.
from I Thessalonians 5:3
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
But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb, and called me by his grace,
from Acts 9:15 · a strong link
Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God,
from Galatians 1:15
Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained equally precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Savior Jesus Christ:
from Romans 1:1
We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak;
from II Peter 1:1
Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech:
from II Corinthians 4:13 · a strong link
That is the whole thread.
Every verse the cross-references reach from Romans 11:24 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