a thread opens
Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it: if a man would give all the substance of his house for love, it would utterly be despised.
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.
Owe no one anything, but to love one another: for he that loves another has fulfilled the law.
from Song of Solomon 8:7
Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of your hand to do it.
from Romans 13:8
If a brother or sister is naked, and destitute of daily food,
from Proverbs 3:27
He answered and said to them, He that has two coats, let him impart to him that has none; and he that has food, let him do likewise.
from James 2:15
But whoever has the world’s goods, and sees his brother have need, and closes his heart against him, how dwells the love of God in him?
from Luke 3:11
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.
Thus says the LORD, your redeemer, and he that formed you from the womb, I am the LORD that makes all things; that stretches forth the heavens alone; that spreads abroad the earth by myself;
from I Corinthians 8:4
He has made the earth by his power, he has established the world by his wisdom, and has stretched out the heaven by his understanding.
from Isaiah 44:24
Happy is he that has the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the LORD his God:
from Jeremiah 51:15
Happy is that people, that is in such a case: yes, happy is that people, whose God is the LORD.
from Psalms 146:5 · a strong link
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.
Take heed therefore to yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he has purchased with his own blood.
from I John 3:16
But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession; that you should show forth the praises of him who has called you out of darkness into his marvelous light:
from Acts 20:28
To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith in me.
from I Peter 2:9
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.
As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk you in him:
from I John 2:27
And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.
from Colossians 2:6
Go therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit:
from Colossians 3:17 · a strong link
And he said to them, Go into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
from Matthew 28:19 · a strong link
But now is made manifest, and by the Scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith:
from Mark 16:15
For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ has not worked by me, to make the Gentiles obedient, by word and deed,
from Romans 16:26
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.
Obey your leaders, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.
from I Corinthians 12:28 · a strong link
Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God.
from Hebrews 13:17
For an overseer must be blameless, as the steward of God; not arrogant, not quick-tempered, not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for dishonest gain;
from I Corinthians 4:1
Do not drink wine nor strong drink, you, nor your sons with you, when you go into the tent of meeting, lest you die: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations:
from Titus 1:7
Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whoever is deceived thereby is not wise.
from Leviticus 10:9
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.
For the word of God is living and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and discerns the thoughts and intents of the heart.
from I Chronicles 29:17
And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searches the inmost thoughts and hearts: and I will give to every one of you according to your works.
from Hebrews 4:12 · a strong link
Then hear from heaven your dwelling place, and forgive, and render to every man according to all his ways, whose heart you know; (for you only know the hearts of the children of men:)
But the LORD said to Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD sees not as man sees; for man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.
from II Chronicles 6:30
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:
He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is mute, so he opens not his mouth.
from I Corinthians 5:7
The place of the Scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb mute before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth:
from Isaiah 53:7 · a strong link
I was mute, I opened not my mouth; because you did it.
from Acts 8:32
That is the whole thread.
Every verse the cross-references reach from Song of Solomon 8:7 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