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 are) swaying between this and that, belonging neither to these nor to those, and he whom Allah sends astray, you will not find for him a way (to the truth - Islam). 143 O you who believe! Take not for Auliya' (protectors or helpers or friends) disbelievers instead of believers. Do you wish to offer Allah a manifest proof against yourselves? 144 The hypocrites will be placed in the lowest bottom of the fire and none of you will ever find a helper for them, except 145 Except those who repent (from hypocrisy), do righteous good deeds, hold fast to Allah, and purify their religion for Allah (by worshipping none but Allah, and do good for Allah's sake only, not to show-off), then they will be with the believers. And Allah will grant to the believers a great reward. 146 What would God do with chastising you if you are thankful, and believe? God is All-thankful, All-knowing. 147 ۞ Allah does not like speaking evil publicly unless one has been wronged. Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing. 148 If you do good openly or in secret or pardon an evil, surely God is All-pardoning, All-powerful. 149 Those who disbelieve in Allah and His Noble Messengers, and seek to cause division between Allah and His Noble Messengers, and say, “We believe in some and disbelieve in others,” and wish to choose a way between faith and disbelief; – 150 those in truth are the unbelievers, and We have prepared for the unbelievers a humiliating punishment. 151 To those who believe in God and His messengers, and make no distinction between any of them, to those -- We shall surely give them their rewards. God is most forgiving and merciful. 152