Basic English Version : Read the Bible in 1 Year

2 Kings (4 Kings) 11 / Basic English

1. Now when Athaliah, the mother of Ahaziah, saw that her son was dead, she had all the rest of the seed of the kingdom put to death.
2. But Jehosheba, the daughter of King Joram, sister of Ahaziah, secretly took Joash, the son of Ahaziah, with the woman who took care of him, away from among the king's sons who were put to death, and put him in the bedroom; and they kept him safe from Athaliah, so that he was not put to death.
3. And for six years she kept him safe in the house of the Lord, while Athaliah was ruling over the land.
4. Then in the seventh year, Jehoiada sent for the captains of hundreds of the Carians, and the armed men, and taking them into the house of the Lord, made an agreement with them, and made them take an oath in the house of the Lord, and let them see the king's son.
5. And he gave them orders, saying, This is what you are to do: the third part of you, who come in on the Sabbath and keep the watch of the king's house,
6. ...
7. And the two divisions of you, who go out on the Sabbath and keep the watch of the house of the Lord,
8. Will make a circle round the king, every man being armed; and whoever comes inside your lines is to be put to death; keep with the king, when he goes out and when he comes in.
9. And the captains of hundreds did as Jehoiada the priest gave them orders; every one took with him his men, those who came in and those who went out on the Sabbath, and they came in to Jehoiada the priest.
10. And the priest gave to the captains of hundreds the spears and body-covers which had been King David's, and which were kept in the house of the Lord.
11. Then the armed men took up their positions, every man with his instruments of war in his hand, from the right side of the house to the left, round about the altar and the house.
12. Then he made the king's son come out, and put the crown on him and the arm-bands, and made him king, and put the holy oil on him; and they all, making sounds of joy with their hands, said, Long life to the king.
13. Now Athaliah, hearing the noise made by the people, came to the people in the house of the Lord;
14. And looking, she saw the king in his regular place by the pillar, and the captains and the horns near him; and all the people of the land giving signs of joy and sounding the horns. Then Athaliah, violently parting her robes, gave a cry, saying, Broken faith, broken faith!
15. Then Jehoiada the priest gave orders to those who were placed in authority over the army, saying, Take her outside the lines, and let anyone who goes after her be put to death with the sword, for he said, Let her not be put to death in the house of the Lord.
16. So they put their hands on her, and she went to the king's house by the doorway of the horses, and there she was put to death.
17. And Jehoiada made an agreement between the Lord and the king and the people, that they would be the Lord's people; and in the same way between the king and the people.
18. Then all the people of the land went to the house of Baal and had it pulled down: its altars and images were all broken to bits, and Mattan, the priest of Baal, they put to death before the altars. And the priest put overseers over the Lord's house.
19. Then he took the captains of hundreds, and the Carians, and the armed men, and all the people of the land; and they came down with the king from the house of the Lord, through the doorway of the armed men, to the king's house. And he took his place on the seat of the kings.
20. So all the people of the land were glad, and the town was quiet; and they had put Athaliah to death with the sword at the king's house.
21. And Jehoash was seven years old when he became king.

2 Kings (4 Kings) 12 / Basic English

1. In the seventh year of Jehu's rule, Jehoash became king; and he was ruling for forty years in Jerusalem; his mother's name was Zibiah of Beer-sheba.
2. Jehoash did what was right in the eyes of the Lord all his days, because he was guided by the teaching of Jehoiada the priest.
3. But the high places were not taken away; the people went on making offerings and burning them in the high places.
4. And Jehoash said to the priests, All the money of the holy things, which comes into the house of the Lord, (the amount fixed for every man's payment,) and all the money given by any man freely from the impulse of his heart,
5. Let the priests take, every man from his friends and neighbours, to make good what is damaged in the house, wherever it is to be seen.
6. But in the twenty-third year of King Jehoash, the priests had not made good the damaged parts of the house.
7. Then King Jehoash sent for Jehoiada the priest, and the other priests, and said to them, Why have you not made good what is damaged in the house? now take no more money from your neighbours, but give it for the building up of the house.
8. So the priests made an agreement to take no more money from the people, and not to make good what was damaged in the house.
9. But Jehoiada the priest took a chest, and making a hole in the cover of it, put it by the altar, on the right side when one comes into the house of the Lord; and the priests who kept the door put in it regularly all the money which was taken into the house of the Lord.
10. And when they saw that there was much money in the chest, the king's scribe and the high priest came and put it in bags, noting the amount of all the money there was in the house of the Lord.
11. And the money which was measured out they gave regularly to those who were responsible for overseeing the work, and these gave it in payment to the woodworkers and the builders who were working on the house of the Lord,
12. And to the wall-builders and the stone-cutters, and to get wood and cut stone for building up the broken parts of the house of the Lord, and for everything needed to put the house in good order.
13. But the money was not used for making silver cups or scissors or basins or wind-instruments or any vessels of gold or silver for the house of the Lord;
14. But it was all given to the workmen who were building up the house.
15. And they did not get any statement of accounts from the men to whom the money was given for the workmen, for they made use of it with good faith.
16. The money of the offerings for error and the sin-offerings was not taken into the house of the Lord; it was the priests'.
17. Then Hazael, king of Aram, went up against Gath and took it; and his purpose was to go up to Jerusalem.
18. Then Jehoash, king of Judah, took all the holy things which Jehoshaphat and Jehoram and Ahaziah his fathers, the kings of Judah, had given to the Lord, together with the things he himself had given, and all the gold in the Temple store and in the king's house, and sent it to Hazael, king of Aram; and he went away from Jerusalem.
19. Now the rest of the acts of Joash, and all he did, are they not recorded in the book of the history of the kings of Israel?
20. And his servants made a secret design and put Joash to death at the house of Millo on the way down to Silla.
21. And Jozacar, the son of Shimeath, and Jehozabad, the son of Shomer, his servants, came to him and put him to death; and they put him into the earth with his fathers in the town of David; and Amaziah his son became king in his place.

Proverbs 3 / Basic English

1. My son, keep my teaching in your memory, and my rules in your heart:
2. For they will give you increase of days, years of life, and peace.
3. Let not mercy and good faith go from you; let them be hanging round your neck, recorded on your heart;
4. So you will have grace and a good name in the eyes of God and men.
5. Put all your hope in God, not looking to your reason for support.
6. In all your ways give ear to him, and he will make straight your footsteps.
7. Put no high value on your wisdom: let the fear of the Lord be before you, and keep yourself from evil:
8. This will give strength to your flesh, and new life to your bones.
9. Give honour to the Lord with your wealth, and with the first-fruits of all your increase:
10. So your store-houses will be full of grain, and your vessels overflowing with new wine.
11. My son, do not make your heart hard against the Lord's teaching; do not be made angry by his training:
12. For to those who are dear to him the Lord says sharp words, and makes the son in whom he has delight undergo pain.
13. Happy is the man who makes discovery of wisdom, and he who gets knowledge.
14. For trading in it is better than trading in silver, and its profit greater than bright gold.
15. She is of more value than jewels, and nothing for which you may have a desire is fair in comparison with her.
16. Long life is in her right hand, and in her left are wealth and honour.
17. Her ways are ways of delight, and all her goings are peace.
18. She is a tree of life to all who take her in their hands, and happy is everyone who keeps her.
19. The Lord by wisdom put in position the bases of the earth; by reason he put the heavens in their place.
20. By his knowledge the deep was parted, and dew came dropping from the skies.
21. My son, keep good sense, and do not let wise purpose go from your eyes.
22. So they will be life for your soul, and grace for your neck.
23. Then you will go safely on your way, and your feet will have no cause for slipping.
24. When you take your rest you will have no fear, and on your bed sleep will be sweet to you.
25. Have no fear of sudden danger, or of the storm which will come on evil-doers:
26. For the Lord will be your hope, and will keep your foot from being taken in the net.
27. Do not keep back good from those who have a right to it, when it is in the power of your hand to do it.
28. Say not to your neighbour, Go, and come again, and tomorrow I will give; when you have it by you at the time.
29. Do not make evil designs against your neighbour, when he is living with you without fear.
30. Do not take up a cause at law against a man for nothing, if he has done you no wrong.
31. Have no envy of the violent man, or take any of his ways as an example.
32. For the wrong-hearted man is hated by the Lord, but he is a friend to the upright.
33. The curse of the Lord is on the house of the evil-doer, but his blessing is on the tent of the upright.
34. He makes sport of the men of pride, but he gives grace to the gentle-hearted.
35. The wise will have glory for their heritage, but shame will be the reward of the foolish.