Exodus 33:20
New International Version
But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live.”

New Living Translation
But you may not look directly at my face, for no one may see me and live.”

English Standard Version
But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for man shall not see me and live.”

Berean Standard Bible
But He added, “You cannot see My face, for no one can see Me and live.”

King James Bible
And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live.

New King James Version
But He said, “You cannot see My face; for no man shall see Me, and live.”

New American Standard Bible
He further said, “You cannot see My face, for mankind shall not see Me and live!”

NASB 1995
But He said, “You cannot see My face, for no man can see Me and live!”

NASB 1977
But He said, “You cannot see My face, for no man can see Me and live!”

Legacy Standard Bible
But He said, “You cannot see My face, for no man can see Me and live!”

Amplified Bible
But He said, “You cannot see My face, for no man shall see Me and live!”

Christian Standard Bible
But he added, “You cannot see my face, for humans cannot see me and live.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
But He answered, “You cannot see My face, for no one can see Me and live.”

American Standard Version
And he said, Thou canst not see my face; for man shall not see me and live.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And he said, “I shall make all my goodness pass before you and I shall call out the Name LORD JEHOVAH before you and I shall take pity on him on whom I shall take pity and I shall love him whom I shall love.”

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And God said, Thou shalt not be able to see my face; for no man shall see my face, and live.

Contemporary English Version
but I won't let you see my face, because anyone who sees my face will die.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And again he said: Thou canst not see my face: for man shall not see me and live.

English Revised Version
And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for man shall not see me and live.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
But you can't see my face, because no one may see me and live."

Good News Translation
I will not let you see my face, because no one can see me and stay alive,

International Standard Version
But," he said, "You cannot see my face, because a man cannot see me and live."

JPS Tanakh 1917
And He said: 'Thou canst not see My face, for man shall not see Me and live.'

Literal Standard Version
He also says, “You are unable to see My face, for man does not see Me and live”;

Majority Standard Bible
But He added, “You cannot see My face, for no one can see Me and live.”

New American Bible
But you cannot see my face, for no one can see me and live.

NET Bible
But he added, "You cannot see my face, for no one can see me and live."

New Revised Standard Version
But,” he said, “you cannot see my face; for no one shall see me and live.”

New Heart English Bible
He said, "You cannot see my face, for man may not see me and live."

Webster's Bible Translation
And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live.

World English Bible
He said, “You cannot see my face, for man may not see me and live.”

Young's Literal Translation
He saith also, 'Thou art unable to see My face, for man doth not see Me, and live;'

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Glory of the LORD
19“I will cause all My goodness to pass before you,” the LORD replied, “and I will proclaim My name—the LORD—in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” 20But He added, “You cannot see My face, for no one can see Me and live.” 21The LORD continued, “There is a place near Me where you are to stand upon a rock,…

Cross References
John 1:18
No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is Himself God and is at the Father's side, has made Him known.

1 Timothy 6:16
He alone is immortal and dwells in unapproachable light. No one has ever seen Him, nor can anyone see Him. To Him be honor and eternal dominion! Amen.

Genesis 32:30
So Jacob named the place Peniel, saying, "Indeed, I have seen God face to face, and yet my life was spared."

Exodus 33:18
Then Moses said, "Please show me Your glory."

Exodus 33:23
Then I will take My hand away, and you will see My back; but My face must not be seen."

Judges 6:22
When Gideon realized that it was the angel of the LORD, he said, "Oh no, Lord GOD! I have seen the angel of the LORD face to face!"

Isaiah 6:5
Then I said: "Woe is me, for I am ruined, because I am a man of unclean lips dwelling among a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of Hosts."


Treasury of Scripture

And he said, You can not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live.

thou canst not.

Exodus 24:10
And they saw the God of Israel: and there was under his feet as it were a paved work of a sapphire stone, and as it were the body of heaven in his clearness.

Genesis 32:30
And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.

Deuteronomy 5:24
And ye said, Behold, the LORD our God hath shewed us his glory and his greatness, and we have heard his voice out of the midst of the fire: we have seen this day that God doth talk with man, and he liveth.

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Exodus 33
1. The Lord refuses to go as he had promised with the people
4. The people mourn there
7. The tabernacle is removed out of the camp
9. The Lord talks familiarly with Moses
12. Moses prevails with God, and desires to see his glory














Verse 20. - No man can see me and live. The inability proclaimed in these words is not an absolute inability to see God, but an inability to see and survive the sight. Jacob, when he wrestled with the angel, marvelled that he could see God, even in that intermediate way, and live (Genesis 32:30). It may well be that actually to see God, while we are in the flesh, would kill us.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
And He added,
וַיֹּ֕אמֶר (way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

“You cannot
לֹ֥א (lō)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

see
לִרְאֹ֣ת (lir·’ōṯ)
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 7200: To see

My face,
פָּנָ֑י (pā·nāy)
Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common singular
Strong's 6440: The face

for
כִּ֛י (kî)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

no
לֹֽא־ (lō-)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

one
הָאָדָ֖ם (hā·’ā·ḏām)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 120: Ruddy, a human being

can see [Me]
יִרְאַ֥נִי (yir·’a·nî)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular | first person common singular
Strong's 7200: To see

and live.”
וָחָֽי׃ (wā·ḥāy)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 2425: To live, to revive


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OT Law: Exodus 33:20 He said You cannot see my face (Exo. Ex)
Exodus 33:19
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