The People of the Scripture ask you to bring down to them a book from the heaven. But they had asked of Moses [even] greater than that and said, "Show us Allah outright," so the thunderbolt struck them for their wrongdoing. Then they took the calf [for worship] after clear evidences had come to them, and We pardoned that. And We gave Moses a 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 And so, [We punished them] for the breaking of their pledge, and their refusal to acknowledge God's messages, and their slaying of prophets against all right, and their boast, "Our hearts are already full of knowledge" - nay, but God has sealed their hearts in result of their denial of the truth, and [now] they believe in but few things; 155 and for their refusal to acknowledge the truth, and the awesome calumny which they utter against Mary, 156 They declared, "We have put to death the Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, the Messenger of God." They did not kill him, nor did they crucify him, but it only seemed to them [as if it had been so]. And those who differ in this matter are in doubt concerning it. They have no definite knowledge about it, but only follow mere conjecture. But they certainly did not kill him. 157 Nay, Allah raised him up unto Himself; and Allah is Exalted in Power, Wise;- 158 And there is none from the People of the Scripture but that he will surely believe in Jesus before his death. And on the Day of Resurrection he will be against them a witness. 159 So, then, for the wickedness committed by those who followed the Jewish faith did We deny unto them certain of the good things of life which [aforetime] had been allowed to them; and [We did this] for their having so often turned away from the path of God, 160 And also because of their taking usury whereas they were prohibited therefrom, and also because of their devouring the riches of men unlawfully. And for the infidels among them We have gotten ready a torment afflictive. 161 Those among them who are firmly rooted in knowledge and the believers, such do believe in what has been revealed to you and what was revealed before you. (Those who truly believe) establish the Prayer and pay Zakah, those who firmly believe in Allah and in the Last Day, to them We shall indeed pay a great reward. 162