And this, too, is a divine writ which We have bestowed from on high, a blessed one: follow it, then, and be conscious of God, so that you might be graced with His mercy. 155 For you (the disbelievers) may say, “The Book was sent down only to two groups (Jews and Christians) before us; and we were totally unaware of what they read and taught.” 156 or you may say, "If the Book had been sent down to us, we would surely have followed its guidance better than they did." There has now come to you clear evidence from your Lord, and guidance and mercy. Who, then, is more unjust than one who rejects the signs of God and turns away from them? We shall requite those who turn away from Our signs with a painful punishment, for their turning away. 157 What are the people waiting for? For the angels to come down, or your Lord to appear, or some signs from your Lord? The day when certain signs appear from your Lord, the embracing of faith shall not be of any avail to one who did not come to belief at first, or who did not perform good deeds by virtue of his faith. Tell them: "Wait on, we are waiting too (for the good and evil to become distinct)." 158 Verily those who have split their religion and become sects, thou art not amongst them in aught: their affair is only with Allah. Then He will declare unto them that which they were wont to do. 159 He who does a good deed will receive ten times its worth; and he who does evil will be requited to an equal degree; and no one will be wronged. 160 Say: 'My Lord has guided me to a Straight Path, an upright religion, the creed of Abraham, he was upright, not from the idolaters' 161 Say. Surely my prayer and my sacrifice and my life and my death are (all) for Allah, the Lord of the worlds; 162 No associate has He. Even so I have been commanded, and I am the first of those that surrender.' 163 Say: 'Shall I seek someone other than Allah as Lord when He is the Lord of everything?' Everyone will bear the consequence of what he does, and no one shall bear the burden of another. Thereafter, your return will be to your Lord, whereupon He will let you know what you disagreed about. 164 And He it is Who hath made you successors in the earth, and hath raised some of you over others in degrees, that he might prove you by that which He hath vouchsafed unto you. Verily thy Lord is swift in chastising, and verily He is Forgiving, Merciful. 165