Exodus 20:18-26

English Standard Version

¹⁸Now 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 ¹⁹and 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.” ²¹The people stood far off, while Moses drew near to the ^(E)thick darkness where God was.

Laws About Altars

²²And the Lord said to Moses, “Thus you shall say to the people of Israel: ‘You have seen for yourselves that I have ^(F)talked with you from heaven. ²³^(G)You shall not make gods of silver to be with me, nor shall you make for yourselves gods of gold. ²⁴An altar of earth you shall make for me and sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and your peace offerings, your sheep and your oxen. ^(H)In every place where I cause my name to be remembered I will come to you and ^(I)bless you. ²⁵^(J)If you make me an altar of stone, ^(K)you shall not build it of hewn stones, for if you wield your tool on it you profane it. ²⁶And you shall not go up by steps to my altar, that your nakedness be not exposed on it.’