23. “When the whole mountain was on fire and you heard the voice from the darkness, your leaders and the chiefs of your tribes came to me
24. and said, ‘The Lord our God showed us his greatness and his glory when we heard him speak from the fire! Today we have seen that it is possible for a human being to continue to live, even though God has spoken to him.
25. But why should we risk death again? That terrible fire will destroy us. We are sure to die if we hear the Lord our God speak again.
26. Has any human being ever lived after hearing the living God speak from a fire?
27. Go back, Moses, and listen to everything that the Lord our God says. Then return and tell us what he said to you. We will listen and obey.’