Exodus 20:18-26

18All the people were seeing the thundering and the lightning, and heard the sound of the horn, and saw the mountain smoking – and when the people saw it they trembled with fear and kept their distance.

19They said to Moses, “You speak to us and we will listen, but do not let God speak with us, lest we die.”

20Moses said to the people, “Do not fear, for God has come to test you, that the fear of him may be before you so that you do not sin.”

21The people kept their distance, but Moses drew near the thick darkness where God was.

22The Lord said to Moses: “Thus you will tell the Israelites: ‘You yourselves have seen that I have spoken with you from heaven.

23You must not make gods of silver alongside me, nor make gods of gold for yourselves.

24‘You must make for me an altar made of earth, and you will sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and your peace offerings, your sheep and your cattle. In every place where I cause my name to be honored I will come to you and I will bless you.

25If you make me an altar of stone, you must not build it of stones shaped with tools, for if you use your tool on it you have defiled it.

26And you must not go up by steps to my altar, so that your nakedness is not exposed.’