Basic English Version : Read the Bible in 1 Year

Exodus 17 / Basic English

1. And the children of Israel went on from the waste land of Sin, by stages as the Lord gave them orders, and put up their tents in Rephidim: and there was no drinking-water for the people.
2. So the people were angry with Moses, and said, Give us water for drinking. And Moses said, Why are you angry with me? and why do you put God to the test?
3. And the people were in great need of water; and they made an outcry against Moses, and said, Why have you taken us out of Egypt to send death on us and our children and our cattle through need of water?
4. And Moses, crying out to the Lord, said, What am I to do to this people? they are almost ready to put me to death by stoning.
5. And the Lord said to Moses, Go on before the people, and take some of the chiefs of Israel with you, and take in your hand the rod which was stretched out over the Nile, and go.
6. See, I will take my place before you on the rock in Horeb; and when you give the rock a blow, water will come out of it, and the people will have drink. And Moses did so before the eyes of the chiefs of Israel.
7. And he gave that place the name Massah and Meribah, because the children of Israel were angry, and because they put the Lord to the test, saying, Is the Lord with us or not?
8. Then Amalek came and made war on Israel in Rephidim.
9. And Moses said to Joshua, Get together a band of men for us and go out, make war on Amalek: tomorrow I will take my place on the top of the hill with the rod of God in my hand.
10. So Joshua did as Moses said to him, and went to war with Amalek: and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill.
11. Now while Moses' hand was lifted up, Israel was the stronger: but when he let his hand go down, Amalek became the stronger.
12. But Moses' hands became tired; so they put a stone under him and he took his seat on it, Aaron and Hur supporting his hands, one on one side and one on the other; so his hands were kept up without falling till the sun went down.
13. And Joshua overcame Amalek and his people with the sword.
14. And the Lord said to Moses, Make a record of this in a book, so that it may be kept in memory, and say it again in the ears of Joshua: that all memory of Amalek is to be completely uprooted from the earth.
15. Then Moses put up an altar and gave it the name of Yahweh-nissi:
16. For he said, The Lord has taken his oath that there will be war with Amalek from generation to generation.

Exodus 18 / Basic English

1. Now news came to Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses' father-in-law, of all God had done for Moses and for Israel his people, and how the Lord had taken Israel out of Egypt.
2. And Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, took Zipporah, Moses' wife, after he had sent her away,
3. And her two sons, one of whom was named Gershom, for he said, I have been living in a strange land:
4. And the name of the other was Eliezer, for he said, The God of my father was my help, and kept me safe from the sword of Pharaoh:
5. And Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, came with his sons and his wife to where Moses had put up his tent in the waste land, by the mountain of God.
6. And he said to Moses, I, your father-in-law, have come to you, with your wife and your two sons.
7. And Moses went out to his father-in-law, and went down on his face before him and gave him a kiss; and they said to one another, Are you well? and they came into the tent.
8. And Moses gave his father-in-law an account of all the Lord had done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians because of Israel, and of all the troubles which had come on them by the way, and how the Lord had given them salvation.
9. And Jethro was glad because the Lord had been good to Israel, freeing them from the power of the Egyptians.
10. And Jethro said, Praise be to the Lord, who has taken you out of the hand of Pharaoh and out of the hand of the Egyptians; freeing the people from the yoke of the Egyptians.
11. Now I am certain that the Lord is greater than all gods, for he has overcome them in their pride.
12. Then Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, made a burned offering to God: and Aaron came, with the chiefs of Israel, and had a meal with Moses' father-in-law, before God.
13. Now on the day after, Moses took his seat to give decisions for the people: and the people were waiting before Moses from morning till evening.
14. And when Moses' father-in-law saw all he was doing, he said, What is this you are doing for the people? why are you seated here by yourself, with all the people waiting before you from morning till evening?
15. And Moses said to his father-in-law, Because the people come to me to get directions from God:
16. And if they have any question between themselves, they come to me, and I am judge between a man and his neighbour, and I give them the orders and laws of God.
17. And Moses' father-in-law said to him, What you are doing is not good.
18. Your strength and that of the people will be completely used up: this work is more than you are able to do by yourself.
19. Give ear now to my suggestion, and may God be with you: you are to be the people's representative before God, taking their causes to him:
20. Teaching them his rules and his laws, guiding them in the way they have to go, and making clear to them the work they have to do.
21. But for the rest, take from among the people able men, such as have the fear of God, true men hating profits wrongly made; and put such men over them, to be captains of thousands, captains of hundreds and of fifties and of tens;
22. And let them be judges in the causes of the people at all times: and let them put before you all important questions, but in small things let them give decisions themselves: in this way, it will be less hard for you, and they will take the weight off you.
23. If you do this, and God gives approval, then you will be able to go on without weariness, and all this people will go to their tents in peace.
24. So Moses took note of the words of his father-in-law, and did as he had said.
25. And he made selection of able men out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people, captains of thousands, captains of hundreds and of fifties and of tens.
26. And they were judges in the causes of the people at all times: the hard questions they put before Moses; but on every small point they gave decisions themselves.
27. And Moses let his father-in-law go away, and he went back to his land.

Psalms 19 / Basic English

1. <To the chief music-maker. A Psalm. Of David.> The heavens are sounding the glory of God; the arch of the sky makes clear the work of his hands.
2. Day after day it sends out its word, and night after night it gives knowledge.
3. There are no words or language; their voice makes no sound.
4. Their line has gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them has he put a tent for the sun,
5. Who is like a newly married man coming from his bride-tent, and is glad like a strong runner starting on his way.
6. His going out is from the end of the heaven, and his circle to the ends of it; there is nothing which is not open to his heat.
7. The law of the Lord is good, giving new life to the soul: the witness of the Lord is certain, giving wisdom to the foolish.
8. The orders of the Lord are right, making glad the heart: the rule of the Lord is holy, giving light to the eyes.
9. The fear of the Lord is clean, and has no end; the decisions of the Lord are true and full of righteousness.
10. More to be desired are they than gold, even than much shining gold; sweeter than the dropping honey.
11. By them is your servant made conscious of danger, and in keeping them there is great reward.
12. Who has full knowledge of his errors? make me clean from secret evil.
13. Keep your servant back from sins of pride; let them not have rule over me: then will I be upright and free from great sin.
14. Let the words of my mouth and the thoughts of my heart be pleasing in your eyes, O Lord, my strength and my salvation.

Psalms 20 / Basic English

1. <To the chief music-maker. A Psalm. Of David.> May the Lord give ear to you in the day of trouble; may you be placed on high by the name of the God of Jacob;
2. May he send you help from the holy place, and give you strength from Zion;
3. May he keep all your offerings in mind, and be pleased with the fat of your burned offerings; (Selah.)
4. May he give you your heart's desire, and put all your purposes into effect.
5. We will be glad in your salvation, and in the name of our God we will put up our flags: may the Lord give you all your requests.
6. Now am I certain that the Lord gives salvation to his king; he will give him an answer from his holy heaven with the strength of salvation in his right hand.
7. Some put their faith in carriages and some in horses; but we will be strong in the name of the Lord our God.
8. They are bent down and made low; but we have been lifted up.
9. Come to our help, Lord: let the king give ear to our cry.