Lord.' And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy." And He said: "You cannot see My face, for man shall not see Me and live." And the Lord said: "Behold, there is a place by Me, and you shall stand on the rock. And it shall be while My glory passes by, that I will put you in...} (Exodus 33:18-22).

The cleft of the rock, and I will cover you with My hand until I have passed by. Then I will take away My hand, and you shall see my Back, but my Face shall not be seen."

What contradicts this saying is what was reported in the seventh chapter of Acts [of the Apostles], which says:

"The God of Glory appeared to our father Abraham while he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Haran, and said to him: 'Go out from your land and from your kindred, and come into the land that I will show you...'" etc.

And from this chapter also, it says that He appeared to Moses—peace be upon him—stating:

"And when forty years had passed, an Angel of the Lord appeared to him in the wilderness of Mount Sinai, in the flame of a burning bush. When Moses saw it, he wondered at the sight. As he drew near to look, the voice of the Lord came to him: 'I am the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.' Moses trembled and did not dare to look. Then the Lord said