Relate in the Book (the story of) Mary, when she withdrew from her family to a place in the East. 16 Then she took beside them a curtain; then We sent unto her Our Spirit, and he took unto her the form of a human being sound. 17 (And when she saw him) she said: 'I take refuge in the Merciful from you! If you are fearful' 18 [The angel] answered: "I am but a messenger of thy Sustainer, [who says,] 'I shall bestow upon thee the gift of a son endowed with purity.'" 19 She said: How can I have a son when no mortal hath touched me, neither have I been unchaste? 20 He said, 'Even so thy Lord has said: "Easy is that for Me; and that We may appoint him a sign unto men and a mercy from Us; it is a thing decreed."' 21 ۞ When she conceived him she went away to a distant place. 22 And the pains of childbirth drove her to the trunk of a date-palm. She said: "Would that I had died before this, and had been forgotten and out of sight!" 23 But he called her from below her, "Do not grieve; your Lord has provided beneath you a stream. 24 and shake the trunk of the palm-tree towards thee: it will drop fresh, ripe dates upon thee. 25 So eat and drink and be contented. And if you see from among humanity anyone, say, 'Indeed, I have vowed to the Most Merciful abstention, so I will not speak today to [any] man.' " 26 At length she brought the (babe) to her people, carrying him (in her arms). They said: "O Mary! truly an amazing thing hast thou brought! 27 "O sister (i.e. the like) of Harun (Aaron) [not the brother of Musa (Moses), but he was another pious man at the time of Maryam (Mary)]! Your father was not a man who used to commit adultery, nor your mother was an unchaste woman." 28 But she pointed to the babe. They said: "How can we talk to one who is a child in the cradle?" 29 [But] he said: "Behold, I am a servant of God. He has vouchsafed unto me revelation and made me a prophet, 30 He has blessed me no matter where I dwell, commanded me to worship Him and pay the religious tax for as long as I live. 31 He has made me dutiful toward my mother, and He has not made me arrogant or wicked. 32 Peace be upon me, the day I was born, and the day I die, and the day I am raised up alive!' 33 Such is 'lsa, son of Maryam: this is the word of truth wherein they are doubting. 34 It is not [befitting] for Allah to take a son; exalted is He! When He decrees an affair, He only says to it, "Be," and it is. 35 And [thus it was that Jesus always said]: "Verily, God is my Sustainer as well as your Sustainer; so worship [none but] Him: this [alone] is a straight way." 36 But different parties began to dispute with one another. A dreadful woe awaits on that great Day for those that reject the Truth. 37 How [clearly] they will hear and see the Day they come to Us, but the wrongdoers today are in clear error. 38 Warn thou them of the day of anguish, when the matter shall be determined, and they yet heedless and unbelieving. 39 We are the heirs of the earth and those living in it will all return to Us. 40