¹² Put limits^(A) for the people around the mountain and tell them, ‘Be careful that you do not approach the mountain or touch the foot of it. Whoever touches the mountain is to be put to death.

¹⁶ On the morning of the third day there was thunder^(A) and lightning, with a thick cloud^(B) over the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast.^(C) Everyone in the camp trembled.^{(D) 17} Then Moses led the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain.^{(E) 18} Mount Sinai was covered with smoke,^(F) because the Lord descended on it in fire.^(G) The smoke billowed up from it like smoke from a furnace,^(H) and the whole mountain^[a] trembled^(I) violently. ¹⁹ As the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke and the voice^(J) of God answered^(K) him.^[b]

²⁰ The Lord descended to the top of Mount Sinai^(L) and called Moses to the top of the mountain. So Moses went up ²¹ and the Lord said to him, “Go down and warn the people so they do not force their way through to see^(M) the Lord and many of them perish.^{(N) 22} Even the priests, who approach^(O) the Lord, must consecrate^(P) themselves, or the Lord will break out against them.”^(Q)

²³ Moses said to the Lord, “The people cannot come up Mount Sinai,^(R) because you yourself warned us, ‘Put limits^(S) around the mountain and set it apart as holy.’”

²⁴ The Lord replied, “Go down and bring Aaron^(T) up with you. But the priests and the people must not force their way through to come up to the Lord, or he will break out against them.”^(U)

²⁵ So Moses went down to the people and told them.

¹⁸ When the people saw the thunder and lightning and heard the trumpet^(A) and saw the mountain in smoke,^(B) they trembled with fear.^(C) They stayed at a distance

¹¹ You came near and stood at the foot of the mountain^(A) while it blazed with fire^(B) to the very heavens, with black clouds and deep darkness.^(C)

²² These are the commandments the Lord proclaimed in a loud voice to your whole assembly there on the mountain from out of the fire, the cloud and the deep darkness;^(A) and he added nothing more. Then he wrote them on two stone tablets^(B) and gave them to me.