When the decree of God is issued, satan will say, "God's promise to you was true, but I, too, made a promise to you and disregarded it. I had no authority over you. I just called you and you answered. Do not blame me but blame yourselves. I cannot help you and you cannot help me. I did not agree with your belief that I was equal to God." The unjust will face a painful punishment. 22 And those who believed and did good works are made to enter Gardens underneath which rivers flow, therein abiding by permission of their Lord, their greeting therein: Peace! 23 Do you not see how Allah has given the example of a good word? It is like a good tree, whose root is firmly fixed, and whose branches reach the sky, 24 ever yielding its fruit in every season with the leave of its Lord. Allah gives examples for mankind that they may take heed. 25 An evil act is like a rotten tree torn out of the earth with no (base or) firmness. 26 God confirms those who believe with the firm word, in the present life and in the world to come; and God leads astray the evildoers; and God does what He will. 27