Surely the hypocrites strive to deceive Allah, and He shall requite their deceit to them, and when they stand up to prayer they stand up sluggishly; they do it only to be seen of men and do not remember Allah save a little. 142 They vacillate between the two, belonging neither to one side nor the other. But for him whom God allows to go astray you can never find the way for him. 143 O ye who believe! Take not for friends unbelievers rather than believers: Do ye wish to offer Allah an open 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 re-pent and mend their ways and hold fast to Allah and make their faith exclusive to Allah. Those people shall be numbered with the believers and Allah will certainly bestow on the believers a great reward. 146 Why should God punish you if you acknowledge the truth and believe? God is responsive to gratitude and is cognisant. 147 ۞ Allah does not like disclosure of evil matters except by the oppressed; and Allah is All Hearing, All Knowing. 148 Whether you do some good openly or in secret, or forgive an ill done to you, (know) that God is forgiving and all-powerful. 149 Surely those who disbelieve in Allah and His apostles and (those who) desire to make a distinction between Allah and His apostles and say: We believe in some and disbelieve in others, and desire to take a course between (this and) that. 150 They are in truth disbelievers. And We have prepared for the disbelievers a humiliating torment. 151 As for those who believe in God and make no distinction between His Messengers, they will receive His reward. God is All-forgiving and All-merciful. 152