Basic English Version : Read the Bible in 1 Year

Ecclesiastes 1 / Basic English

1. The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.
2. All is to no purpose, said the Preacher, all the ways of man are to no purpose.
3. What is a man profited by all his work which he does under the sun?
4. One generation goes and another comes; but the earth is for ever.
5. The sun comes up and the sun goes down, and goes quickly back to the place where he came up.
6. The wind goes to the south, turning back again to the north; circling round for ever.
7. All the rivers go down to the sea, but the sea is not full; to the place where the rivers go, there they go again.
8. All things are full of weariness; man may not give their story: the eye has never enough of its seeing, or the ear of its hearing.
9. That which has been, is that which is to be, and that which has been done, is that which will be done, and there is no new thing under the sun.
10. Is there anything of which men say, See, this is new? It has been in the old time which was before us.
11. There is no memory of those who have gone before, and of those who come after there will be no memory for those who are still to come after them.
12. I, the Preacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
13. And I gave my heart to searching out in wisdom all things which are done under heaven: it is a hard thing which God has put on the sons of men to do.
14. I have seen all the works which are done under the sun; all is to no purpose, and desire for wind.
15. That which is bent may not be made straight, and that which is not there may not be numbered.
16. I said to my heart, See, I have become great and am increased in wisdom more than any who were before me in Jerusalem--yes, my heart has seen much wisdom and knowledge.
17. And I gave my heart to getting knowledge of wisdom, and of the ways of the foolish. And I saw that this again was desire for wind.
18. Because in much wisdom is much grief, and increase of knowledge is increase of sorrow.

Ecclesiastes 2 / Basic English

1. I said in my heart, I will give you joy for a test; so take your pleasure--but it was to no purpose.
2. Of laughing I said, It is foolish; and of joy--What use is it?
3. I made a search with my heart to give pleasure to my flesh with wine, still guiding my heart with wisdom, and to go after foolish things, so that I might see what was good for the sons of men to do under the heavens all the days of their life.
4. I undertook great works, building myself houses and planting vine-gardens.
5. I made myself gardens and fruit gardens, planting in them fruit-trees of all sorts.
6. I made pools to give water for the woods with their young trees.
7. I got men-servants and women-servants, and they gave birth to sons and daughters in my house. I had great wealth of herds and flocks, more than all who were in Jerusalem before me.
8. I got together silver and gold and the wealth of kings and of countries. I got makers of song, male and female; and the delights of the sons of men--girls of all sorts to be my brides.
9. And I became great; increasing more than all who had been before me in Jerusalem, and my wisdom was still with me.
10. And nothing which was desired by my eyes did I keep from them; I did not keep any joy from my heart, because my heart took pleasure in all my work, and this was my reward.
11. Then I saw all the works which my hands had made, and everything I had been working to do; and I saw that all was to no purpose and desire for wind, and there was no profit under the sun.
12. And I went again in search of wisdom and of foolish ways. What may the man do who comes after the king? The thing which he has done before.
13. Then I saw that wisdom is better than foolish ways--as the light is better than the dark.
14. The wise man's eyes are in his head, but the foolish man goes walking in the dark; but still I saw that the same event comes to them all.
15. Then said I in my heart: As it comes to the foolish man, so will it come to me; so why have I been wise overmuch? Then I said in my heart: This again is to no purpose.
16. Of the wise man, as of the foolish man, there is no memory for ever, seeing that those who now are will have gone from memory in the days to come. See how death comes to the wise as to the foolish!
17. So I was hating life, because everything under the sun was evil to me: all is to no purpose and desire for wind.
18. Hate had I for all my work which I had done, because the man who comes after me will have its fruits.
19. And who is to say if that man will be wise or foolish? But he will have power over all my work which I have done and in which I have been wise under the sun. This again is to no purpose.
20. So my mind was turned to grief for all the trouble I had taken and all my wisdom under the sun.
21. Because there is a man whose work has been done with wisdom, with knowledge, and with an expert hand; but one who has done nothing for it will have it for his heritage. This again is to no purpose and a great evil.
22. What does a man get for all his work, and for the weight of care with which he has done his work under the sun?
23. All his days are sorrow, and his work is full of grief. Even in the night his heart has no rest. This again is to no purpose.
24. There is nothing better for a man than taking meat and drink, and having delight in his work. This again I saw was from the hand of God.
25. Who may take food or have pleasure without him?
26. To the man with whom he is pleased, God gives wisdom and knowledge and joy; but to the sinner he gives the work of getting goods together and storing up wealth, to give to him in whom God has pleasure. This again is to no purpose and desire for wind.

1 Corinthians 4 / Basic English

1. Let us be judged as servants of Christ, and as those who are responsible for the secret things of God.
2. And it is right for such servants to be safe persons.
3. But it is a small thing to me that I am judged by you or by man's judging; I am not even a judge of myself.
4. For I am not conscious of any wrong in myself; but this does not make me clear, for it is the Lord who is my judge.
5. For this reason let there be no judging before the time, till the Lord comes, who will make clear the secret things of the dark, and the designs of the heart; and then will every man have his praise from God.
6. My brothers, it is because of you that I have taken Apollos and myself as examples of these things, so that in us you might see that it is not wise to go farther than what is in the holy Writings, so that no one of you may be lifted up against his brother.
7. For who made you better than your brother? or what have you that has not been given to you? but if it has been given to you, what cause have you for pride, as if it had not been given to you?
8. For even now you are full, even now you have wealth, you have been made kings without us: truly, I would be glad if you were kings, so that we might be kings with you.
9. For it seems to me that God has put us the Apostles last of all, as men whose fate is death: for we are put on view to the world, and to angels, and to men.
10. We are made to seem foolish for Christ, but you are wise in Christ; we are feeble, but you are strong; you have glory, but we have shame.
11. Even to this hour we are without food, drink, and clothing, we are given blows and have no certain resting-place;
12. And with our hands we do the hardest work: when they give us curses we give blessings, when we undergo punishment we take it quietly;
13. When evil things are said about us we give gentle answers: we are made as the unclean things of the world, as that for which no one has any use, even till now.
14. I am not saying these things to put you to shame, but so that, as my dear children, you may see what is right.
15. For even if you had ten thousand teachers in Christ, you have not more than one father: for in Christ Jesus I have given birth to you through the good news.
16. So my desire is that you take me as your example.
17. For this cause I have sent Timothy to you, who is my dear and true child in the Lord; he will make clear to you my ways in Christ, even as I am teaching everywhere in every church.
18. Now some are full of pride, as if I was not coming to you.
19. But I will come to you in a short time, if it is pleasing to the Lord, and I will take note, not of the word of those who are full of pride, but of the power.
20. For the kingdom of God is not in word but in power.
21. What is your desire? is my coming to be with punishment, or is it to be in love and a gentle spirit?