¹⁶ On the morning of the ^(A)third day there were ^(B)thunders and lightnings and ^(C)a thick cloud on the mountain and a very loud ^(D)trumpet blast, so that all the people in the camp ^(E)trembled. ¹⁷ Then ^(F)Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God, and they took their stand at the foot of the mountain. ¹⁸ Now ^(G)Mount Sinai was wrapped in smoke because the Lord had descended on it in fire. The smoke of it went up like the smoke of a kiln, and ^(H)the whole mountain trembled greatly. ¹⁹ And as the ^(I)sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke, and ^(J)God answered him in thunder. ²⁰ The Lord came down on Mount Sinai, to the top of the mountain. And the Lord called Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up.

¹⁸ Now when all the people saw ^(A)the thunder and the flashes of lightning and the sound of the trumpet and the mountain smoking, the people were afraid^[a] and trembled, and they stood far off ¹⁹ and said to Moses, ^(B)“You speak to us, and we will listen; but do not let God speak to us, lest we die.” ^20 (C)Moses said to the people, “Do not fear, for God has come to ^(D)test you, that the fear of him may be before you, that you may not sin.” ²¹ The people stood far off, while Moses drew near to the ^(E)thick darkness where God was.