۞ Did you not see the hypocrites say to their brethren, the unbelievers among the People of the Book: “If you are banished we too will go with you and will not listen to anyone concerning you; and if war is waged against you, we will come to your aid.” But Allah bears witness that they are liars. 11 If they were to be expelled, they would not go with them. If they were to be attacked they would not help them. Even if they were to help them, they would run away from the battle and leave them helpless. 12 Surely they have greater fear of you in their hearts than of God, because they do not understand. 13 They will never fight against you as a body (in an open battlefield); and if they fight against you they will fight only in fortified townships or from behind walls. Intense is their hostility to one another. You reckon them united while their hearts are divided. That is because they are a people devoid of reason. 14 They are like those a little before them; they tasted the ill-effect of their affair, and theirs shall be a torment afflictive. 15 [The hypocrites are] like the example of Satan when he says to man, "Disbelieve." But when he disbelieves, he says, "Indeed, I am disassociated from you. Indeed, I fear Allah, Lord of the worlds." 16 And the consequence for both will be that they are in the Fire, therein abiding. Such is the reward of evil-doers. 17