Exodus 19:16-25

New Life Version

¹⁶ On the morning of the third day there was thunder and lightning. A cloud covered the mountain, and a very loud horn sounded. All the people among the tents shook with fear. ¹⁷ Then Moses brought the people from among the tents to meet God. They stood at the base of the mountain. ¹⁸ Mount Sinai was all in smoke because the Lord came down upon it in fire. Its smoke went up like the smoke of a stove. And the whole mountain shook. ¹⁹ The sound of the horn became louder and louder. Moses spoke, and God answered him with thunder. ²⁰ Then the Lord came down upon Mount Sinai, to the top of the mountain. The Lord called Moses to the top of the mountain, and he went up. ²¹ Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go down and tell the people not to break through to look at the Lord. For then many of them would be destroyed. ²² Have the religious leaders who come near to the Lord set themselves apart to be holy. Or the Lord will go against them.” ²³ Moses said to the Lord, “The people cannot come up to Mount Sinai. For You told us, ‘Set places around the mountain that must not be passed, and set it apart as holy.’” ²⁴ Then the Lord said to him, “Go down, and then come up with Aaron. But do not let the religious leaders and the people break through to come up to the Lord, or He will go against them.” ²⁵ So Moses went down to the people and told them.