The hypocrites seek to outwit God -- but it is He who outwits them. And when they stand up for prayer, they do so reluctantly and to be seen by others, and they hardly remember God at all. 142 They dangle between the one and the other (faith and disbelief), and belong neither to these nor to those completely. And he whom Allah lets go astray, for him you can find no way. 143 O you who believe! do not take the unbelievers for friends rather than the believers; do you desire that you should give to Allah a manifest proof against yourselves? 144 Lo! the hypocrites (will be) in the lowest deep of the Fire, and thou wilt find no helper for them; 145 But those who repent and mend (their ways), who hold fast to Allah, and make their religion sincerely for Allah they are with the believers, and Allah will certainly give the believers a great wage. 146 And what will Allah gain by punishing you, if you acknowledge the truth and accept faith? And Allah is Most Appreciative, All Knowing. 147 ۞ Allah loveth not that evil should be noised abroad in public speech, except where injustice hath been done; for Allah is He who heareth and knoweth all things. 148 Whether you reveal any good or hide it, or pardon any evil, God is forgiving and all powerful. 149 Those who believe not in God and His apostles, and desire to differentiate between God and His messengers, and say: "We believe in some and not in the others," and wish to find a way (between affirmation and denial), 150 They are in truth disbelievers. And We have prepared for the disbelievers a humiliating torment. 151 To those who believe in Allah and His messengers and make no distinction between any of the messengers, we shall soon give their (due) rewards: for Allah is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful. 152