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New Living Translation |   | |
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| | Exd 19:1 | The Israelites arrived in the wilderness of Sinai exactly two months after they left Egypt.
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| | Exd 19:2 | After breaking camp at Rephidim, they came to the base of Mount Sinai and set up camp there.
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| | Exd 19:3 | Then Moses climbed the mountain to appear before God. The LORD called out to him from the mountain and said, "Give these instructions to the descendants of Jacob, the people of Israel:
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| | Exd 19:4 | 'You have seen what I did to the Egyptians. You know how I brought you to myself and carried you on eagle's wings.
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| | Exd 19:5 | Now if you will obey me and keep my covenant, you will be my own special treasure from among all the nations of the earth; for all the earth belongs to me.
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| | Exd 19:6 | And you will be to me a kingdom of priests, my holy nation.' Give this message to the Israelites."
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| | Exd 19:7 | Moses returned from the mountain and called together the leaders of the people and told them what the LORD had said.
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| | Exd 19:8 | They all responded together, "We will certainly do everything the LORD asks of us." So Moses brought the people's answer back to the LORD.
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| | Exd 19:9 | Then the LORD said to Moses, "I am going to come to you in a thick cloud so the people themselves can hear me as I speak to you. Then they will always have confidence in you." Moses told the LORD what the people had said.
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| | Exd 19:10 | Then the LORD told Moses, "Go down and prepare the people for my visit. Purify them today and tomorrow, and have them wash their clothing.
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| | Exd 19:11 | Be sure they are ready on the third day, for I will come down upon Mount Sinai as all the people watch.
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| | Exd 19:12 | Set boundary lines that the people may not pass. Warn them, 'Be careful! Do not go up on the mountain or even touch its boundaries. Those who do will certainly die!
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| | Exd 19:13 | Any people or animals that cross the boundary must be stoned to death or shot with arrows. They must not be touched by human hands.' The people must stay away from the mountain until they hear one long blast from the ram's horn. Then they must gather at the foot of the mountain."
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| | Exd 19:14 | So Moses went down to the people. He purified them for worship and had them wash their clothing.
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| | Exd 19:15 | He told them, "Get ready for an important event two days from now. And until then, abstain from having sexual intercourse."
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| | Exd 19:16 | On the morning of the third day, there was a powerful thunder and lightning storm, and a dense cloud came down upon the mountain. There was a long, loud blast from a ram's horn, and all the people trembled.
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| | Exd 19:17 | Moses led them out from the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain.
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| | Exd 19:18 | All Mount Sinai was covered with smoke because the LORD had descended on it in the form of fire. The smoke billowed into the sky like smoke from a furnace, and the whole mountain shook with a violent earthquake.
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| | Exd 19:19 | As the horn blast grew louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God thundered his reply for all to hear.
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| | Exd 19:20 | The LORD came down on the top of Mount Sinai and called Moses to the top of the mountain. So Moses climbed the mountain.
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| | Exd 19:21 | Then the LORD told Moses, "Go back down and warn the people not to cross the boundaries. They must not come up here to see the LORD, for those who do will die.
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| | Exd 19:22 | Even the priests who regularly come near to the LORD must purify themselves, or I will destroy them."
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| | Exd 19:23 | "But LORD, the people cannot come up on the mountain!" Moses protested. "You already told them not to. You told me to set boundaries around the mountain and to declare it off limits."
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| | Exd 19:24 | But the LORD said, "Go down anyway and bring Aaron back with you. In the meantime, do not let the priests or the people cross the boundaries to come up here. If they do, I will punish them."
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| | Exd 19:25 | So Moses went down to the people and told them what the LORD had said.
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