The People of the Book ask you to bring down for them a book from heaven. Of Moses they demanded a greater thing than that. They said to him: "Show us God face to face." A thunderbolt struck them for their wickedness. After that, they took to worshipping the [golden] calf, after all evidence of the truth had come to them! Yet We pardoned even that and bestowed on Moses clear authority. 153 And We raised over them the mount for [refusal of] their covenant; and We said to them, "Enter the gate bowing humbly", and We said to them, "Do not transgress on the sabbath", and We took from them a solemn covenant. 154 But they broke their covenant; and they rejected the signs of God; and put the prophets to death without justification, and said, "Our hearts are sealed." It is God who has sealed their hearts, on account of their denial of the truth. Except for a few of them, they have no faith. 155 Also for their disbelief and their saying about Mary a great calumny, 156 and their saying: 'We slew the Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary', the Messenger of Allah - whereas in fact they had neither slain him nor crucified him but the matter was made dubious to them - and those who differed about it too were in a state of doubt! They have no definite knowledge of it, but merely follow conjecture; and they surely slew him not, 157 God raised him up to Himself. God is Majestic and All-wise. 158 And there is none of the People of the Book but must believe in him before his death; and on the Day of Judgment he will be a witness against them;- 159 Because of the wrongdoing of the Jews We forbade them good things which were (before) made lawful unto them, and because of their much hindering from Allah's way, 160 And because they practised usury although it had been forbidden them; and for using others' wealth unjustly. For those who are unbelievers among them We have reserved a painful punishment. 161 But to those of them, who are firmly grounded in knowledge, and the believers, who truly believe in what is revealed to you, and what was revealed before you. To those who pray regularly and pay the zakat [prescribed alms] and believe in God and the Last Day, We will surely give a great reward. 162