The Radiant Face of Moses

²⁹ When Moses came down from Mount Sinai^(A) with the two tablets of the covenant law in his hands,^(B) he was not aware that his face was radiant^(C) because he had spoken with the Lord. ³⁰ When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, his face was radiant, and they were afraid to come near him. ³¹ But Moses called to them; so Aaron and all the leaders of the community^(D) came back to him, and he spoke to them. ³² Afterward all the Israelites came near him, and he gave them all the commands^(E) the Lord had given him on Mount Sinai.

³³ When Moses finished speaking to them, he put a veil^(F) over his face. ³⁴ But whenever he entered the Lord’s presence to speak with him, he removed the veil until he came out. And when he came out and told the Israelites what he had been commanded, ³⁵ they saw that his face was radiant.^(G) Then Moses would put the veil back over his face until he went in to speak with the Lord.

The Greater Glory of the New Covenant

⁷ Now if the ministry that brought death,^(A) which was engraved in letters on stone, came with glory, so that the Israelites could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of its glory,^(B) transitory though it was,

¹³ We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face^(A) to prevent the Israelites from seeing the end of what was passing away.

²⁹ As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning.