The Bible in Basic English BBE
Good News Translation GNT
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.
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"If someone steals a cow or a sheep and kills it or sells it, he must pay five cows for one cow and four sheep for one sheep.
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.
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He must pay for what he stole. If he owns nothing, he shall be sold as a slave to pay for what he has stolen. If the stolen animal, whether a cow, a donkey, or a sheep, is found alive in his possession, he shall pay two for one. "If a thief is caught breaking into a house at night and is killed, the one who killed him is not guilty of murder. But if it happens during the day, he is guilty of murder.
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.
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"If someone lets his animals graze in a field or a vineyard and they stray away and eat up the crops growing in someone else's field, he must make good the loss with the crops from his own fields or vineyards.
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.
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"If someone starts a fire in his own field and it spreads through the weeds to someone else's field and burns up grain that is growing or that has been cut and stacked, the one who started the fire is to pay 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.
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"If anyone agrees to keep someone else's money or other valuables for him and they are stolen from his house, the thief, if found, shall repay double.
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.
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But if the thief is not found, the one who was keeping the valuables is to be brought to the place of worship and there he must take an oath that he has not stolen the other one's property.
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.
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"In every case of a dispute about property, whether it involves cattle, donkeys, sheep, clothing, or any other lost object, the two people claiming the property shall be taken to the place of worship. The one whom God declares to be guilty shall pay double to the other one.
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:
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"If anyone agrees to keep someone else's donkey, cow, sheep, or other animal for him, and the animal dies or is injured or is carried off in a raid, and if there was no witness,
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.
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the man must go to the place of worship and take an oath that he has not stolen the other man's animal. If the animal was not stolen, the owner shall accept the loss, and the other man need not repay him;
12 But if it is taken from him by a thief, he is to make up for the loss of it to its owner.
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but if the animal was stolen, the man must repay the 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.
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If it was killed by wild animals, the man is to bring the remains as evidence; he need not pay for what has been killed by wild animals.
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.
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"If anyone borrows an animal from someone else and it is injured or dies when its owner is not present, he must pay for it.
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.
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But if that happens when the owner is present, he need not repay. If it is a rented animal, the loss is covered by the rental price.
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.
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"If a man seduces a virgin who is not engaged, he must pay the bride price for her and marry her.
17 If her father will not give her to him on any account, he will have to give the regular payment for virgins.
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But if her father refuses to let him marry her, he must pay the father a sum of money equal to the bride price for a virgin.
18 Any woman using unnatural powers or secret arts is to be put to death.
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"Put to death any woman who practices magic.
19 Any man who has sex connection with a beast is to be put to death.
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"Put to death any man who has sexual relations with an animal.
20 Complete destruction will come on any man who makes offerings to any other god but the Lord.
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"Condemn to death anyone who offers sacrifices to any god except to me, 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.
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"Do not mistreat or oppress a foreigner; remember that you were foreigners in Egypt.
22 Do no wrong to a widow, or to a child whose father is dead.
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Do not mistreat any widow or orphan.
23 If you are cruel to them in any way, and their cry comes up to me, I will certainly give ear;
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If you do, I, the Lord, will answer them when they cry out to me for help,
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.
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and I will become angry and kill you in war. Your wives will become widows, and your children will be fatherless.
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.
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"If you lend money to any of my people who are poor, do not act like a moneylender and require him to pay 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:
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If you take someone's cloak as a pledge that he will pay you, you must give it back to him before the sun sets,
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.
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because it is the only covering he has to keep him warm. What else can he sleep in? When he cries out to me for help, I will answer him because I am merciful.
28 You may not say evil of the judges, or put a curse on the ruler of your people.
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"Do not speak evil of God, and do not curse a leader 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.
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"Give me the offerings from your grain, your wine, and your olive oil when they are due. "Give me your first-born sons.
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.
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Give me the first-born of your cattle and your sheep. Let the first-born male stay with its mother for seven days, and on the eighth day offer 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.
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"You are my people, so you must not eat the meat of any animal that has been killed by wild animals; instead, give it to the dogs.
The Bible in Basic English is in the public domain.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.