Exodus 33:20 But He added, "You cannot see My face, for no one can see Me and live."

◄ 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.

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

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."

Majority Standard Bible
But He added, “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 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.”

Literal Translations

Literal Standard Version
He also says, “You are unable to see My face, for man does 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;'

Smith's Literal Translation
And he will say, Thou shalt not be able to see my face: for none shall see my face, and live.

Catholic Translations

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

Catholic Public Domain Version
And again he said: “You are not able to see my face. For man shall not see me and live.”

New American Bible
But 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.”

Translations from Aramaic

Lamsa Bible
And he said, You cannot see my face; for no man can see me and live.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
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.”

OT Translations

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

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

Berean Standard Bible · Download

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.

1 John 4:12
No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God remains in us, and His love is perfected in us.

John 6:46
not that anyone has seen the Father except the One who is from God; only He has seen the Father.

Colossians 1:15
The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.

1 Timothy 1:17
Now to the King eternal, immortal, and invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

Matthew 5:8
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

Revelation 1:17
When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man. But He placed His right hand on me and said, “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last,

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.”

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

Judges 13:22
“We are going to die,” he said to his wife, “for we have seen God!”

Deuteronomy 4:12
And the LORD spoke to you out of the fire. You heard the sound of the words but saw no form; there was only a voice.

Deuteronomy 5:24
and you said, “Behold, the LORD our God has shown us His glory and greatness, and we have heard His voice out of the fire. Today we have seen that a man can live even if God speaks with him.

Isaiah 64:4
From ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides You, who acts on behalf of those who wait for Him.

Ezekiel 1:28
The appearance of the brilliant light all around Him was like that of a rainbow in a cloud on a rainy day. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. And when I saw it, I fell facedown and heard a voice speaking.

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

Berean Study Bible

But He added
This phrase introduces a direct communication from God, emphasizing the personal and authoritative nature of the message. The use of "He" with a capital letter signifies the divine speaker, God Himself. In the Hebrew text, the verb used here is "וַיֹּאמֶר" (vayomer), which is a common term for "said" or "spoke," indicating a continuation of a conversation. This highlights the relational aspect of God, who engages in dialogue with His people, particularly with Moses, His chosen leader.

You cannot see
The phrase underscores the limitations of human beings in their current state. The Hebrew word for "see" is "רָאָה" (ra'ah), which means to perceive or look upon. This suggests not just a physical seeing but an understanding or experiencing. The inability to see God reflects the vast chasm between the divine holiness and human sinfulness. It serves as a reminder of the reverence and awe due to God, who is beyond human comprehension.

My face
In Hebrew, "פָּנַי" (panai) is used, which translates to "My face." This term is often used metaphorically in the Bible to represent God's presence or His favor. The face of God symbolizes His glory and essence. In the ancient Near Eastern context, seeing the face of a king was a privilege reserved for the most honored subjects. Thus, seeing God's face would imply an encounter with His full glory, which is overwhelming for any mortal.

for no one
This phrase emphasizes the universality of the statement. The Hebrew "כִּי לֹא" (ki lo) translates to "for no," indicating an absolute prohibition. It underscores the fact that this is not a limitation specific to Moses but applies to all humanity. It reflects the consistent biblical theme that God's holiness is unapproachable by sinful man without divine mediation.

can see Me
The repetition of the concept of seeing God reinforces the impossibility of such an encounter. The Hebrew "יִרְאַנִי" (yirani) is a form of the verb "to see," emphasizing the direct object, God Himself. This highlights the directness and intensity of the encounter that is being denied. It serves as a reminder of the need for reverence and the recognition of God's otherness.

and live
The final phrase, "וָחָי" (vachai), meaning "and live," concludes the statement with a stark reality. The implication is that seeing God in His full glory would be fatal to a human being. This reflects the biblical understanding of God's holiness as a consuming fire (Hebrews 12:29). It serves as a sobering reminder of the need for a mediator, which in the Christian perspective, is fulfilled in Jesus Christ, who bridges the gap between God and humanity. This phrase calls believers to a life of holiness and reverence, recognizing the grace that allows them to approach God through Christ.

Pulpit Commentary

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)