Exodus 19:21-23

Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition

²¹ And the Lord said to Moses, “Go down and warn the people, lest they break through to the Lord to gaze and many of them perish. ²² And also let the priests who come near to the Lord consecrate themselves, lest the Lord break out upon them.” ²³ And Moses said to the Lord, “The people cannot come up to Mount Sinai; for thou thyself didst charge us, saying, ‘Set bounds about the mountain, and consecrate it.’”