۞ AND, INDEED, God accepted a [similar] solemn pledge from the children of Israel when We caused twelve of their leaders to be sent [to Canaan as spies]. And God said: "Behold, I shall be with you! If you are constant in prayer, and spend in charity, and believe in My apostles and aid them, and offer up unto God a goodly loan, I will surely efface your bad deeds and bring you into gardens through which running waters flow. But he from among you who, after this, denies the truth, will indeed have strayed from the right path!" 12 Since they broke their solemn pledge, We laid on them Our curse and hardened their hearts. They distorted the meaning of the revealed words, taking them out of their context, and forgot much of what they were enjoined. You will constantly discover treachery on their part, except for a few of them. But pardon them, and bear with them; truly, God loves the doers of good. 13 And We made a covenant with those who proclaimed, “We are Christians” – they then forgot a large portion of the advices given to them; We have therefore instilled enmity and hatred between them till the Day of Resurrection; and Allah will soon inform them of what they were doing. 14 O people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians)! Now has come to you Our Messenger (Muhammad SAW) explaining to you much of that which you used to hide from the Scripture and passing over (i.e. leaving out without explaining) much. Indeed, there has come to you from Allah a light (Prophet Muhammad SAW) and a plain Book (this Quran). 15 Wherewith Allah guides all those who seek His Good Pleasure to ways of peace, and He brings them out of darkness by His Will unto light and guides them to a Straight Way (Islamic Monotheism). 16 Those who say that Allah is the Messiah, son of Mary are indeed those who disbelieved. Say: 'Who then could prevent any thing from Allah, if He willed to destroy the Messiah, son of Mary, together with his mother and all the people of the earth? For Allah is the kingdom of the heavens and the earth and all that lies between them. He creates what He will and has power over all things' 17 The Jews and the Nazarenes say: 'We are the children of Allah and His loved ones' Say: 'Why then does He punish you for your sins? Surely, you are mortals amongst what He created. He forgives whom He will, and punishes whom He will. For Allah is the Kingdom of the heavens and the earth, and all that is between them. All shall return to Him' 18 People of the Book! After an interval during which there were no Messengers, Our Messenger (Muhammad) has come to clarify (your religion) to you, lest you should say: 'No bearer of glad tidings or a warner has come to us' Indeed, there has come to you a bearer of glad tidings and a warner. Allah has power over all things. 19