Exodus 19:16-21:21

New International Version

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.

The Ten Commandments^(V)

20 And God spoke^(W) all these words:^(X)

¹⁸ When the people saw the thunder and lightning and heard the trumpet^(AZ) and saw the mountain in smoke,^(BA) they trembled with fear.^(BB) They stayed at a distance ¹⁹ and said to Moses, “Speak to us yourself and we will listen. But do not have God speak^(BC) to us or we will die.”^(BD)

²⁰ Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid.^(BE) God has come to test^(BF) you, so that the fear^(BG) of God will be with you to keep you from sinning.”^(BH)

²¹ The people remained at a distance, while Moses approached the thick darkness^(BI) where God was.

Idols and Altars

²² Then the Lord said to Moses, “Tell the Israelites this: ‘You have seen for yourselves that I have spoken to you from heaven:^{(BJ) 23} Do not make any gods to be alongside me;^(BK) do not make for yourselves gods of silver or gods of gold.^(BL)

²⁴ “‘Make an altar^(BM) of earth for me and sacrifice on it your burnt offerings^(BN) and fellowship offerings, your sheep and goats and your cattle. Wherever I cause my name^(BO) to be honored, I will come to you and bless^(BP) you. ²⁵ If you make an altar of stones for me, do not build it with dressed stones, for you will defile it if you use a tool^(BQ) on it. ²⁶ And do not go up to my altar on steps, or your private parts^(BR) may be exposed.’

21 “These are the laws^(BS) you are to set before them:

Hebrew Servants^(BT)(BU)

² “If you buy a Hebrew servant,^(BV) he is to serve you for six years. But in the seventh year, he shall go free,^(BW) without paying anything. ³ If he comes alone, he is to go free alone; but if he has a wife when he comes, she is to go with him. ⁴ If his master gives him a wife and she bears him sons or daughters, the woman and her children shall belong to her master, and only the man shall go free.

⁵ “But if the servant declares, ‘I love my master and my wife and children and do not want to go free,’^{(BX) 6} then his master must take him before the judges.^[d](BY) He shall take him to the door or the doorpost and pierce^(BZ) his ear with an awl. Then he will be his servant for life.^(CA)

⁷ “If a man sells his daughter as a servant, she is not to go free as male servants do. ⁸ If she does not please the master who has selected her for himself,^[e] he must let her be redeemed. He has no right to sell her to foreigners, because he has broken faith with her. ⁹ If he selects her for his son, he must grant her the rights of a daughter. ¹⁰ If he marries another woman, he must not deprive the first one of her food, clothing and marital rights.^{(CB) 11} If he does not provide her with these three things, she is to go free, without any payment of money.

Personal Injuries

¹² “Anyone who strikes a person with a fatal blow is to be put to death.^{(CC) 13} However, if it is not done intentionally, but God lets it happen, they are to flee to a place^(CD) I will designate. ¹⁴ But if anyone schemes and kills someone deliberately,^(CE) that person is to be taken from my altar and put to death.^(CF)

¹⁵ “Anyone who attacks^[f] their father or mother is to be put to death.

¹⁶ “Anyone who kidnaps someone is to be put to death,^(CG) whether the victim has been sold^(CH) or is still in the kidnapper’s possession.

¹⁷ “Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death.^(CI)

¹⁸ “If people quarrel and one person hits another with a stone or with their fist^[g] and the victim does not die but is confined to bed, ¹⁹ the one who struck the blow will not be held liable if the other can get up and walk around outside with a staff; however, the guilty party must pay the injured person for any loss of time and see that the victim is completely healed.

²⁰ “Anyone who beats their male or female slave with a rod must be punished if the slave dies as a direct result, ²¹ but they are not to be punished if the slave recovers after a day or two, since the slave is their property.^(CJ)