And those who disbelieve in God's signs and the encounter with Him -- they despair of My mercy, and there awaits them a painful chastisement.) 23 Now [as for Abraham,] his people's only answer was, "Slay him, or burn him!" - but God saved him from the fire. Behold, in this [story] there are messages indeed for people who will believe! 24 And he said: ye have taken images instead of Allah out of affection between you in the life of the world; but on the Day of Resurrection ye shall deny each other and ye shall curse each other, and your resort shall be the Fire, and ye shall have no helpers. 25 ۞ But Lot believed him; and he said, 'I will flee to my Lord; He is the All-mighty, the All-wise.' 26 And We bestowed on him Is-haq and Y'aqub, and We placed among his posterity prophethood and the Book, and We vouchsafed unto him his hire in the world, and verily in the Hereafter he shall be of the righteous. 27 And Lot! (Remember) when he said unto his folk: Lo! ye commit lewdness such as no creature did before you. 28 “What! You commit the immoral with males, and cut off the roads; and you speak evilly in your gatherings?” So his people had no answer except to say, “Bring the punishment of Allah upon us if you are truthful!” 29 He said: My Lord! help me against the mischievous people. 30