THE FOLLOWERS of the Old Testament demand of thee [O Prophet] that thou cause a revelation to be sent down to them from heaven. And an even greater thing than this did they demand of Moses when they said, "Make us see God face to face" - whereupon the thunderbolt of punishment overtook them for this their wickedness. After that, they took to worshipping the [golden] calf - and this after all evidence of the truth had come unto them! None the less, We effaced this [sin of theirs,] and vouchsafed unto Moses a clear proof [of the truth,] 153 raising Mount Sinai high above them in witness of their solemn pledge. And We said unto them, "Enter the gate humbly"; and We told them, "Do not break the Sabbath-law"; and We accepted from them a most solemn pledge. 154 So, for their breaking of the covenant, and disbelieving the verses of Allah, and killing their Prophets without right and for saying, 'Our hearts are covered' no, but Allah has sealed them for their disbelief, so, except for a few, they do not believe. 155 And because they denied and spoke dreadful calumnies of Mary; 156 That they said (in boast), "We killed Christ Jesus the son of Mary, the Messenger of Allah";- but they killed him not, nor crucified him, but so it was made to appear to them, and those who differ therein are full of doubts, with no (certain) knowledge, but only conjecture to follow, for of a surety they killed him not:- 157 But Allah raised him ['Iesa (Jesus)] up (with his body and soul) unto Himself (and he is in the heavens). And Allah is Ever All-Powerful, All-Wise. 158 There are none among the People of the Book but will believe in him before his death, and he will be a witness against them on the Day of Resurrection. 159 And for the harmdoing of those of Jewry, We have forbidden them the good things that were permitted to them, and also for their barring many from the way of Allah. 160 and for their taking usury, that they were prohibited, and consuming the wealth of the people in vanity; and We have prepared for the unbelievers among them a painful chastisement. 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