And We verily sent Noah and Abraham and placed the prophethood and the scripture among their seed, and among them there is he who goeth right, but many of them are evil-livers. 26 And thereupon We caused [other of] Our apostles to follow in their footsteps; and [in the course of time] We caused them to be followed by Jesus, the son of Mary, upon whom We bestowed the Gospel; and in the hearts of those who [truly] followed him We engendered compassion and mercy. But as for monastic asceticism - We did not enjoin it upon them: they invented it themselves out of a desire for God's goodly acceptance. But then, they did not [always] observe it as it ought to have been observed: and so We granted their recompense unto such of them as had [truly] attained to faith, whereas many of them became iniquitous. 27 O People who Believe (in the earlier Noble Messengers)! Fear Allah and accept faith in this Noble Messenger of His – He will bestow two portions of His mercy to you and will create a light for you to walk in it, and will forgive you; and Allah is Oft Forgiving, Most Merciful. 28 So that the people of the Book may know that they have not the least power over the bounty of God, and that the bounty is wholly in the hands of God to give whosoever He please, for God is the master of infinite bounty. 29