Give to them a parable; to the people of the village there came Messengers, 13 When We sent them two messengers, they rejected them both, so We strengthened them with a third. They said, "Truly, we have been sent to you [by God] as messengers." 14 They said: Ye are but mortals like unto us. The Beneficent hath naught revealed. Ye do but lie! 15 They said, "Our Lord knows that we are messengers to you, 16 And our duty is only to convey the message to you clearly," 17 (The people of the city) said: We augur ill of you. If ye desist not, we shall surely stone you, and grievous torture will befall you at our hands. 18 They said: Your evil augury be with you! Is it because ye are reminded (of the truth)? Nay, but ye are froward folk! 19 And there came from the farthest part of the town a man running. He said; O my people! follow the sent ones. 20 “Obey those who do not ask any fee from you, and they are on guidance.” 21 Why should I not serve the One Who created me and to Whom all of you shall be sent back? 22 What, shall I take, other than Him, gods whose intercession, if the Merciful desires to afflict me, cannot help me at all, and they will never save me? 23 Surely in that case I should be in manifest error. 24 Verily! I have believed in your Lord, so listen to me!" 25 It was said: Enter the garden. He said: O would that my people had known 26 how my Lord has forgiven me and placed me among the honoured ones!" 27 ۞ We did not send an army against his people from the heaven after his death nor did We need to send one. 28 It was not but one shout, and immediately they were extinguished. 29 Woe, for those (unbelieving) worshipers! They mocked every Messenger that came to them. 30 Have they not seen how many nations before them did We destroy? Thereafter they never came back to them. 31 And indeed, all of them will yet be brought present before Us. 32