How evidence becomes a dot, line or number.

1. Primary reference layer

Every event, relationship and journey stop begins with a passage reference or an explicitly identified external historical record. A reference supports the limited claim attached to it; it does not automatically verify every date, route or interpretation surrounding that claim.

Manna generally names references without reproducing verse text, allowing readers to use their preferred translation and avoiding a site made primarily from replicated scripture. Where a short quotation is needed, a public-domain translation such as the World English Bible may be used without silent alteration.

2. Chronology labels

Historically anchored means an event has a comparatively strong external point of chronological contact. Approximate means a working range is useful but not exact. Debated means major reconstructions materially differ. Narrative order means the source supplies sequence without an honest absolute date.

Dates use BCE and CE. Negative numbers inside the source data exist only for sorting and plotting; the public label is the editorial claim. A visual midpoint must never be read as precision beyond the displayed range.

3. People and relationships

Each person receives a unique identifier even when names repeat. Relationship edges require a cited textual claim. “Ancestor of” may summarize a genealogy that telescopes generations; it does not assert that every intermediate generation is present in the current graph.

The relationship tool uses breadth-first search to show the shortest documented path in Manna’s dataset. A returned path may mix family and ministry links. It demonstrates data connectivity, not necessarily direct acquaintance or influence.

4. Maps and coordinates

Place identification is labeled secure, probable or regional. Coordinates locate an ancient site or region at overview scale and are checked against the Acts itinerary and open biblical geography references. The map uses an original schematic basemap and republishes no commercial map tiles.

Route lines connect the named narrative sequence. They do not assert an exact ancient road, sailing corridor, travel distance or daily schedule. When a letter suggests a possible stop not explicitly narrated in Acts, the note must identify that inference.

5. Ancient units

The converter begins with textual ratios—such as omer to ephah—then applies a representative modern estimate. Because standards vary across period and region, the result includes a plausible range. Physical weights are not converted into present-day currency or purchasing power.

6. Reading-plan calculation

Reading plans use the English-language chapter divisions of the common 66-book Protestant order. Each chapter inherits a broad per-book time weight. The algorithm preserves canonical sequence and partitions complete chapters across the requested number of active reading days.

Estimates are for scheduling, not assessment. The tool does not measure a reader, transmit progress or claim that equal minutes produce equal comprehension.

7. Corrections and revisions

A correction should identify the page, exact claim, primary reference and—where relevant—a reputable historical or scholarly source. Typographical and broken-link fixes can publish immediately. Substantive changes to dates, identities or routes require the connected records to be reviewed together.

See Sources for the reference register and Contact & corrections for the submission format.