¹⁸ All the people saw the lightning and the smoke billowing from the mountain, and heard the thunder and the long, frightening trumpet blast; and they stood at a distance, shaking with fear.

¹⁹ They said to Moses, “You tell us what God says and we will obey, but don’t let God speak directly to us, or it will kill us.”

²⁰ “Don’t be afraid,” Moses told them, “for God has come in this way to show you his awesome power, so that from now on you will be afraid to sin against him!”