We sent Noah and Abraham, and gave prophethood to their progeny and the Book, and some of them are well-directed, but many of them are disobedient. 26 In their wake, We sent a succession of Our Messengers, and raised Jesus, son of Mary, after all of them, and bestowed upon him the Evangel, and We set tenderness and mercy in the hearts of those that followed him. As for monasticism, it is they who invented it; We did not prescribe it for them. They themselves invented it in pursuit of Allah's good pleasure, and then they did not observe it as it ought to have been observed. So We gave their reward to those of them that believed. But many of them are wicked. 27 O you who believe, have fear of displeasing God, and believe in His Prophet. He will give you twice as much of His bounty and place a light for you to walk in, and forgive you, for God is forgiving and kind; 28 (Have fear of God and believe in His Messenger) so that the followers of the Bible will know that they can receive no reward from God. They should know that all favors are in the hands of God. He grants them to whomever He wants. The favors of God are great. 29