Those who brought forward the lie are a body among yourselves: think it not to be an evil to you; On the contrary it is good for you: to every man among them (will come the punishment) of the sin that he earned, and to him who took on himself the lead among them, will be a penalty grievous. 11 Why did not the believers, men and women, when ye heard it, think good of their own own folk, and say: It is a manifest untruth? 12 Why did they not bring four witnesses (in support of their charge)? And since they did not bring the four witnesses they are themselves liars in the sight of God. 13 Had it not been for the Grace of Allah and His Mercy unto you in this world and in the Hereafter, a great torment would have touched you for that whereof you had spoken. 14 When ye were publishing it with your tongues and saying that with your mouths of which ye had no knowledge. Ye deemed it light, and it was with Allah mighty! 15 Wherefor, when ye heard it, said ye not: It is not for us to speak of this. Glory be to Thee (O Allah)! This is awful calumny. 16 God admonishes you [hereby] lest you ever revert to the like of this [sin,] if you are [truly] believers; 17 And Allah makes the Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) plain to you, and Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise. 18 As for those, who like that indecency should spread among the Believers, they deserve a painful punishment in this world and in the Hereafter, for Allah knows and you do not know (its consequences). 19 And had there not been Allah's grace upon you and His mercy, and that Allah was Tender and Merciful, ye had Perished. 20