22 “These words the Lord spoke to all your assembly (A)at the mountain out of the midst of the fire, the cloud, and the thick darkness, with a loud voice; and he added no more. And (B)he wrote them on two tablets of stone and gave them to me. 23 And (C)as soon as you heard the voice out of the midst of the darkness, while the mountain was burning with fire, you came near to me, all the heads of your tribes, and your elders. 24 And you said, ‘Behold, the Lord our God has shown us his glory and (D)greatness, and (E)we have heard his voice out of the midst of the fire. This day we have seen God speak with man, and man (F)still live. 25 Now therefore why should we die? For this great fire will consume us. (G)If we hear the voice of the Lord our God any more, we shall die. 26 (H)For who is there of all flesh, that has heard the voice of the living God speaking out of the midst of fire as we have, and has still lived? 27 Go near and hear all that the Lord our God will say, and (I)speak to us all that the Lord our God will speak to you, and we will hear and do it.’

28 “And the Lord heard your words, when you spoke to me. And the Lord said to me, ‘I have heard the words of this people, which they have spoken to you. (J)They are right in all that they have spoken. 29 (K)Oh that they had such a heart as this always, to fear me and to keep all my commandments, (L)that it might go well with them and with their descendants[a] forever! 30 Go and say to them, “Return to your tents.” 31 But you, stand here by me, and (M)I will tell you the whole commandment and the statutes and the rules that you shall teach them, that they may do them in the land that I am giving them to possess.’ 32 You shall be careful therefore to do as the Lord your God has commanded you. (N)You shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left. 33 (O)You shall walk in all the way that the Lord your God has commanded you, that you may live, and (P)that it may go well with you, and that you may live long in the land that you shall possess.

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Footnotes

  1. Deuteronomy 5:29 Or sons

22 “The Lord spoke these words to all of you assembled there at the foot of the mountain. He spoke with a loud voice from the heart of the fire, surrounded by clouds and deep darkness. This was all he said at that time, and he wrote his words on two stone tablets and gave them to me.

23 “But when you heard the voice from the heart of the darkness, while the mountain was blazing with fire, all your tribal leaders and elders came to me. 24 They said, ‘Look, the Lord our God has shown us his glory and greatness, and we have heard his voice from the heart of the fire. Today we have seen that God can speak to us humans, and yet we live! 25 But now, why should we risk death again? If the Lord our God speaks to us again, we will certainly die and be consumed by this awesome fire. 26 Can any living thing hear the voice of the living God from the heart of the fire as we did and yet survive? 27 Go yourself and listen to what the Lord our God says. Then come and tell us everything he tells you, and we will listen and obey.’

28 “The Lord heard the request you made to me. And he said, ‘I have heard what the people said to you, and they are right. 29 Oh, that they would always have hearts like this, that they might fear me and obey all my commands! If they did, they and their descendants would prosper forever. 30 Go and tell them, “Return to your tents.” 31 But you stand here with me so I can give you all my commands, decrees, and regulations. You must teach them to the people so they can obey them in the land I am giving them as their possession.’”

32 So Moses told the people, “You must be careful to obey all the commands of the Lord your God, following his instructions in every detail. 33 Stay on the path that the Lord your God has commanded you to follow. Then you will live long and prosperous lives in the land you are about to enter and occupy.

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