Basic English Version : Read the Bible in 1 Year

Exodus 21 / Basic English

1. Now these are the laws which you are to put before them.
2. If you get a Hebrew servant for money, he is to be your servant for six years, and in the seventh year you are to let him go free without payment.
3. If he comes to you by himself, let him go away by himself: if he is married, let his wife go away with him.
4. If his master gives him a wife, and he gets sons or daughters by her, the wife and her children will be the property of the master, and the servant is to go away by himself.
5. But if the servant says clearly, My master and my wife and children are dear to me; I have no desire to be free:
6. Then his master is to take him to the gods of the house, and at the door, or at its framework, he is to make a hole in his ear with a sharp-pointed instrument; and he will be his servant for ever.
7. And if a man gives his daughter for a price to be a servant, she is not to go away free as the men-servants do.
8. If she is not pleasing to her master who has taken her for himself, let a payment be made for her so that she may go free; her master has no power to get a price for her and send her to a strange land, because he has been false to her.
9. And if he gives her to his son, he is to do everything for her as if she was his daughter.
10. And if he takes another woman, her food and clothing and her married rights are not to be less.
11. And if he does not do these three things for her, she has the right to go free without payment.
12. He who gives a man a death-blow is himself to be put to death.
13. But if he had no evil purpose against him, and God gave him into his hand, I will give you a place to which he may go in flight.
14. But if a man makes an attack on his neighbour on purpose, to put him to death by deceit, you are to take him from my altar and put him to death.
15. Any man who gives a blow to his father or his mother is certainly to be put to death.
16. Any man who gets another into his power in order to get a price for him is to be put to death, if you take him in the act.
17. Any man cursing his father or his mother is to be put to death.
18. If, in a fight, one man gives another a blow with a stone, or with the shut hand, not causing his death, but making him keep in bed;
19. If he is able to get up again and go about with a stick, the other will be let off; only he will have to give him payment for the loss of his time, and see that he is cared for till he is well.
20. If a man gives his man-servant or his woman-servant blows with a rod, causing death, he is certainly to undergo punishment.
21. But, at the same time, if the servant goes on living for a day or two, the master is not to get punishment, for the servant is his property.
22. If men, while fighting, do damage to a woman with child, causing the loss of the child, but no other evil comes to her, the man will have to make payment up to the amount fixed by her husband, in agreement with the decision of the judges.
23. But if damage comes to her, let life be given in payment for life,
24. Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot,
25. Burning for burning, wound for wound, blow for blow.
26. If a man gives his man-servant or his woman-servant a blow in the eye, causing its destruction, he is to let him go free on account of the damage to his eye.
27. Or if the loss of a tooth is caused by his blow, he will let him go free on account of his tooth.
28. If an ox comes to be the cause of death to a man or a woman, the ox is to be stoned, and its flesh may not be used for food; but the owner will not be judged responsible.
29. But if the ox has frequently done such damage in the past, and the owner has had word of it and has not kept it under control, so that it has been the cause of the death of a man or woman, not only is the ox to be stoned, but its owner is to be put to death.
30. If a price is put on his life, let him make payment of whatever price is fixed.
31. If the death of a son or of a daughter has been caused, the punishment is to be in agreement with this rule.
32. If the death of a man-servant or of a woman-servant is caused by the ox, the owner is to give their master thirty shekels of silver, and the ox is to be stoned.
33. If a man makes a hole in the earth without covering it up, and an ox or an ass dropping into it comes to its death;
34. The owner of the hole is responsible; he will have to make payment to their owner, but the dead beast will be his.
35. And if one man's ox does damage to another man's ox, causing its death, then the living ox is to be exchanged for money, and division made of the price of it, and of the price of the dead one.
36. But if it is common knowledge that the ox has frequently done such damage in the past, and its owner has not kept it under control, he will have to give ox for ox; and the dead beast will be his.

Exodus 22 / Basic English

1. If a man takes without right another man's ox or his sheep, and puts it to death or gets a price for it, he is to give five oxen for an ox, or four sheep for a sheep, in payment: the thief will have to make payment for what he has taken; if he has no money, he himself will have to be exchanged for money, so that payment may be made.
2. If a thief is taken in the act of forcing his way into a house, and his death is caused by a blow, the owner of the house is not responsible for his blood.
3. But if it is after dawn, he will be responsible.
4. If he still has what he had taken, whatever it is, ox or ass or sheep, he is to give twice its value.
5. If a man makes a fire in a field or a vine-garden, and lets the fire do damage to another man's field, he is to give of the best produce of his field or his vine-garden to make up for it.
6. If there is a fire and the flames get to the thorns at the edge of the field, causing destruction of the cut grain or of the living grain, or of the field, he who made the fire will have to make up for the damage.
7. If a man puts money or goods in the care of his neighbour to keep for him, and it is taken from the man's house, if they get the thief, he will have to make payment of twice the value.
8. If they do not get the thief, let the master of the house come before the judges and take an oath that he has not put his hand on his neighbour's goods.
9. In any question about an ox or an ass or a sheep or clothing, or about the loss of any property which anyone says is his, let the two sides put their cause before God; and he who is judged to be in the wrong is to make payment to his neighbour of twice the value.
10. If a man puts an ass or an ox or a sheep or any beast into the keeping of his neighbour, and it comes to death or is damaged or is taken away, without any person seeing it:
11. If he takes his oath before the Lord that he has not put his hand to his neighbour's goods, the owner is to take his word for it and he will not have to make payment for it.
12. But if it is taken from him by a thief, he is to make up for the loss of it to its owner.
13. But if it has been damaged by a beast, and he is able to make this clear, he will not have to make payment for what was damaged.
14. If a man gets from his neighbour the use of one of his beasts, and it is damaged or put to death when the owner is not with it, he will certainly have to make payment for the loss.
15. If the owner is with it, he will not have to make payment: if he gave money for the use of it, the loss is covered by the payment.
16. If a man takes a virgin, who has not given her word to another man, and has connection with her, he will have to give a bride-price for her to be his wife.
17. If her father will not give her to him on any account, he will have to give the regular payment for virgins.
18. Any woman using unnatural powers or secret arts is to be put to death.
19. Any man who has sex connection with a beast is to be put to death.
20. Complete destruction will come on any man who makes offerings to any other god but the Lord.
21. Do no wrong to a man from a strange country, and do not be hard on him; for you yourselves were living in a strange country, in the land of Egypt.
22. Do no wrong to a widow, or to a child whose father is dead.
23. If you are cruel to them in any way, and their cry comes up to me, I will certainly give ear;
24. And in the heat of my wrath I will put you to death with the sword, so that your wives will be widows and your children without fathers.
25. If you let any of the poor among my people have the use of your money, do not be a hard creditor to him, and do not take interest.
26. If ever you take your neighbour's clothing in exchange for the use of your money, let him have it back before the sun goes down:
27. For it is the only thing he has for covering his skin; what is he to go to sleep in? and when his cry comes up to me, I will give ear, for my mercy is great.
28. You may not say evil of the judges, or put a curse on the ruler of your people.
29. Do not keep back your offerings from the wealth of your grain and your vines. The first of your sons you are to give to me.
30. In the same way with your oxen and your sheep: for seven days let the young one be with its mother; on the eighth day give it to me.
31. You are to be holy men to me: the flesh of no animal whose death has been caused by the beasts of the field may be used for your food; it is to be given to the dogs.

Psalms 23 / Basic English

1. <A Psalm. Of David.> The Lord takes care of me as his sheep; I will not be without any good thing.
2. He makes a resting-place for me in the green fields: he is my guide by the quiet waters.
3. He gives new life to my soul: he is my guide in the ways of righteousness because of his name.
4. Yes, though I go through the valley of deep shade, I will have no fear of evil; for you are with me, your rod and your support are my comfort.
5. You make ready a table for me in front of my haters: you put oil on my head; my cup is overflowing.
6. Truly, blessing and mercy will be with me all the days of my life; and I will have a place in the house of the Lord all my days.

Psalms 24 / Basic English

1. <A Psalm. Of David.> The earth is the Lord's, with all its wealth; the world and all the people living in it.
2. For by him it was based on the seas, and made strong on the deep rivers.
3. Who may go up into the hill of the Lord? and who may come into his holy place?
4. He who has clean hands and a true heart; whose desire has not gone out to foolish things, who has not taken a false oath.
5. He will have blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.
6. This is the generation of those whose hearts are turned to you, even to your face, O God of Jacob. (Selah.)
7. Let your heads be lifted up, O doors; be lifted up, O you eternal doors: that the King of glory may come in.
8. Who is the King of glory? The Lord of strength and power, the Lord strong in war.
9. Let your heads be lifted up, O doors; let them be lifted up, O you eternal doors: that the King of glory may come in.
10. Who is the King of glory? The Lord of armies, he is the King of glory. (Selah.)

Psalms 25 / Basic English

1. <Of David.> To you, O Lord, my soul is lifted up.
2. O my God, I have put my faith in you, let me not be shamed; let not my haters be glorying over me.
3. Let no servant of yours be put to shame; may those be shamed who are false without cause.
4. Make your steps clear to me, O Lord; give me knowledge of your ways.
5. Be my guide and teacher in the true way; for you are the God of my salvation; I am waiting for your word all the day.
6. O Lord, keep in mind your pity and your mercies; for they have been from the earliest times.
7. Do not keep in mind my sins when I was young, or my wrongdoing: let your memory of me be full of mercy, O Lord, because of your righteousness.
8. Good and upright is the Lord: so he will be the teacher of sinners in the way.
9. He will be an upright guide to the poor in spirit: he will make his way clear to them.
10. All the ways of the Lord are mercy and good faith for those who keep his agreement and his witness.
11. Because of your name, O Lord, let me have forgiveness for my sin, which is very great.
12. If a man has the fear of the Lord, the Lord will be his teacher in the way of his pleasure.
13. His soul will be full of good things, and his seed will have the earth for its heritage.
14. The secret of the Lord is with those in whose hearts is the fear of him; he will make his agreement clear to them.
15. My eyes are turned to the Lord at all times; for he will take my feet out of the net.
16. Be turned to me, and have mercy on me; for I am troubled and have no helper.
17. The troubles of my heart are increased: O take me out of my sorrows.
18. Give thought to my grief and my pain; and take away all my sins.
19. See how those who are against me are increased, for bitter is their hate of me.
20. O keep my soul, and take me out of danger: let me not be shamed, for I have put my faith in you.
21. For my clean and upright ways keep me safe, because my hope is in you.
22. Give Israel salvation, O God, out of all his troubles.