Deuteronomy 5:23-31

23The mountain was burning with fire and you heard God's voice speak from the darkness. Then the leaders and older men of your tribes came to speak to me.

24They said, ‘The Lord our God has shown us how great and how powerful he is. We have heard his voice from the middle of the fire. We have learned this: People can continue to live, even after God has spoken to them.

25But now we think that this great fire will kill us. We do not want to die! If we continue to hear the voice of the Lord our God, we will surely die.

26The God who lives for ever has spoken to us from the middle of the fire. Has anyone ever heard him speak like that and then continued to live?

27We ask you to go near to the Lord our God. Listen to everything that he says. Then you should tell us what he says to you. We will listen carefully and we will obey him.’

28The Lord heard what you said to me. He said to me, ‘I have heard what these people have said to you. What they said is right.

29I really want them to respect me with fear. I want them to obey my commands in the future! If they do that, everything will be well for them and for their descendants for ever.

30Now tell them to return to their tents.

31But you should stay here with me. I will tell you all the commands, rules and laws that you must teach to the people. Then they can obey them in the land that I will give them to live in.’