Scriptures Plain & Simple (Matthew 7:7-12)

Barclay Newman, a translator on the teams for both the Good News Bible and the Contemporary English Version, translated passages of the New Testament into English and published them in 2014, “in a publication brief enough to be non-threatening, yet long enough to be taken seriously, and interesting enough to appeal to believers and un-believers alike.” The following is the translation of Matthew 7:7-12:

Keep knocking until God opens the door for you,
as he always does for someone who doesn’t give up.
       Ask and receive—seek and find—that’s how it works.

Although you’re evil, you’re still good to your children.
If they were hungry for fish and chips,
       you’d never feed them snakes and stones.

Your Father above is goodness personified
       and will gladly do good for anyone who asks.

What’s the Bible all about? I’ll tell you —
       Treat others the way you want them to treat you.

Scriptures Plain & Simple (Luke 15:11-32)

Barclay Newman, a translator on the teams for both the Good News Bible and the Contemporary English Version, translated passages of the New Testament into English and published them in 2014, “in a publication brief enough to be non-threatening, yet long enough to be taken seriously, and interesting enough to appeal to believers and un-believers alike.” The following is the translation of Luke 15:11-32:

Finally, Jesus told them this story:

       A man’s younger son once said,
              “Dad, give me my share of the family fortune!”
       So his father divided everything
              between him and his older brother.

       Soon the younger son packed up everything
       and left for a foreign country,
              where he wasted every cent of his inheritance.

       Then a terrible famine struck the land,
              leaving him famished and without food.

       So hungry was the young man that he took a job
              feeding bean pods to nasty pigs,
       and he would have eaten some of the pods himself,
              if only the owner had turned his back.

       At last, in desperation, he said to himself,
       “My dad’s workers have more than enough to eat,
              while I sit here with these pigs, starving to death.
       Best thing I can do is to go home and make up with my dad.
       I’ll say, “Dad, I’ve been a really lousy son,
              worthless and useless to both you and God.
       Fact is, I don’t deserve to be called your son —
              just treat me like one of your servants.”

       Before he even reached the road to the farmhouse,
       his father saw him and felt so sorry that he ran over
              and greeted the young man with hugs and kisses.

       “Dad, I’ve been a really lousy son,” said the boy.
       “I’m worthless and useless to both you and God.
              Fact is, I don’t deserve to be called your son.”

       But his father instructed the servants,
              “Hurry! Bring him the best clothes.
              Put a gold ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.
              And prepare our choice beef, so we can celebrate!
       My son was dead, and now he’s alive!
              My son was lost, and now he’s found.”

       Then the festivities began.
       Meanwhile, the older brother was coming in from the fields,
       when he heard the sound of music and dancing.
              “What’s going on?” he asked one of the servants.

       “Your younger brother has come home,” answered the servant,
       “and your father ordered us
              to prepare the choice beef for a feast.”
       This made the older brother so angry
              that he refused to go anywhere near the house.

       His father went out and begged him to join the celebration,
       but his son answered, “All my life I’ve obeyed you,
              and I’ve worked like a slave.
       Yet you’ve never even given me a small goat,
              so I could throw a party for my friends.
       This other son of yours blew all his money on hookers,
              and now that he’s back home,
       you’ve ordered our choice beef
              to be killed for a feast in his honor.”

       “My dear son,” replied his father, “You’re always here,
              and everything I have is yours as well.
       But don’t you think we should celebrate?
       Your brother was dead, and now he’s alive.
              He was lost, and now he’s found.”

Scriptures Plain & Simple (Mark 1:16-20)

Barclay Newman, a translator on the teams for both the Good News Bible and the Contemporary English Version, translated passages of the New Testament into English and published them in 2014, “in a publication brief enough to be non-threatening, yet long enough to be taken seriously, and interesting enough to appeal to believers and un-believers alike.” The following is the translation of Mark 1:16-20:

As Jesus was strolling beside Lake Galilee,
he noticed two fishermen — brothers they were —
       and they were casting their nets into the lake.

“Follow me!” commanded Jesus.
“I’ll give you power to bring in people.”
       At this, they dropped their nets and followed him.

As Jesus continued walking along the shore,
he saw James and John Zebedee
       sitting in a boat, mending their nets.

“Follow me!” commanded Jesus.
Leaving their father and the hired workers,
       they followed him.

Scriptures Plain & Simple (Luke 23:6-12)

Barclay Newman, a translator on the teams for both the Good News Bible and the Contemporary English Version, translated passages of the New Testament into English and published them in 2014, “in a publication brief enough to be non-threatening, yet long enough to be taken seriously, and interesting enough to appeal to believers and un-believers alike.” The following is the translation of Luke 23:6-12:

Galilee was the magic word,
       and since Herod was governor of Galilee,
Pilate decided to send Jesus to Herod,
       who was in Jerusalem at the time.

For some while, Herod had wanted to meet Jesus,
       and he was really pleased to have this chance.
Maybe Jesus would even work a miracle for him!

Herod questioned Jesus intensely,
       but received no answers.
So the priests and professors of religion arose,
       accusing Jesus of all kinds of crimes.

Herod and his soldiers made insulting remarks against Jesus,
then placed an expensive robe on him
       and sent him back to Pilate.
Although Herod and Pilate
had formerly been fierce enemies,
       they now became very good friends.

Scriptures Plain & Simple (Matthew 5:33-37)

Barclay Newman, a translator on the teams for both the Good News Bible and the Contemporary English Version, translated passages of the New Testament into English and published them in 2014, “in a publication brief enough to be non-threatening, yet long enough to be taken seriously, and interesting enough to appeal to believers and un-believers alike.” The following is the translation of Matthew 5:33-37:

You know what the Bible teaches about promises —
       “Don’t make a promise in the Lord’s name,
              unless you intend to keep it!”

But I tell you not to swear by anything when you make a promise —
       not by heaven — it’s God’s throne,
       not by the earth — it’s God’s footstool,
not by Jerusalem — it’s the city of the great king,
not by your own head — you can’t grow white or black hairs at will.

When you make a promise, just give your word!
       Anything else comes from the devil.

Scriptures Plain & Simple (Luke 2:41-52)

Barclay Newman, a translator on the teams for both the Good News Bible and the Contemporary English Version, translated passages of the New Testament into English and published them in 2014, “in a publication brief enough to be non-threatening, yet long enough to be taken seriously, and interesting enough to appeal to believers and un-believers alike.” The following is the translation of Luke 2:41-52:

Every year Mary and Joseph went to Jerusalem for Passover,
       and when Jesus was twelve, they went there as usual.
After Passover, his parents left,
       not knowing Jesus had stayed on in the city.

They thought he was traveling with friends,
       and they went a whole day before looking for him.

When they could not find Jesus with relatives or friends,
they returned to Jerusalem and for three days
       anxiously searched everywhere.

Finally, they found Jesus in the temple,
listening to the teachers, asking them questions,
       and surprising everyone by his wisdom and knowledge.

“Son, why have you done this to us?” asked his mother.
       “Your father and I’ve been frantically searching for you.”

“Why did you have to search for me?” questioned Jesus.
“Didn’t you know I’d be here in my Father’s house?”
       But they didn’t understand what he meant.

Jesus returned home to Nazareth with his parents,
       and was always obedient to them.
But his mother never stopped thinking about all of this.

As Jesus grew up, he grew wiser and stronger —
       so much so that God and people were pleased with him.

Scriptures Plain & Simple (Matthew 7:13-20)

Barclay Newman, a translator on the teams for both the Good News Bible and the Contemporary English Version, translated passages of the New Testament into English and published them in 2014, “in a publication brief enough to be non-threatening, yet long enough to be taken seriously, and interesting enough to appeal to believers and un-believers alike.” The following is the translation of Matthew 7:13-20:

The road to the not-so-narrow gate leads to destruction,
       but it’s wide, and many follow that road.

The road to the narrow gate leads to life,
but it’s hard to follow, and is found by only a few.
       Struggle to enter this gate, no matter what!

Scriptures Plain & Simple (Luke 19:1-10)

Barclay Newman, a translator on the teams for both the Good News Bible and the Contemporary English Version, translated passages of the New Testament into English and published them in 2014, “in a publication brief enough to be non-threatening, yet long enough to be taken seriously, and interesting enough to appeal to believers and un-believers alike.” The following is the translation of Luke 19:1-10:

Zacchaeus lived in Jericho and was rich — yet he was hated,
       because he collected taxes for the Roman authorities.

Somehow Zacchaeus found out
that Jesus was passing through Jericho,
       and he wanted to see what he was like.
Crowds covered every inch of the ground,
and since Zacchaeus was short and couldn’t see the road,
       he climbed up a big tree and waited.
Jesus spotted him in the tree and shouted,
       “Zacchaeus, come down! I want to visit with you today.”
Zacchaeus scampered down and greeted Jesus with a smile.

But jealousy took control of the crowds, and they grumbled,
“This guy Zacchaeus is scum!
       Is Jesus really going to eat with him?”

When Zacchaeus got up from the meal, he said to Jesus,
“Lord, I promise to give half of my property to the poor,
       and to everyone I’ve ever cheated,
       I’ll pay back four times as much.”

“Now you and your family are acceptable to God!” said Jesus.
“Indeed you are truly a son of your ancestor Abraham.
       I came to look for and to save people that others reject.”