O you who have believed, fear Allah and seek the means [of nearness] to Him and strive in His cause that you may succeed. 35 Verily, if those who are bent on denying the truth had all that is on earth, and twice as much, to offer as ransom from suffering on the Day of Resurrection, it would not be accepted from them: for grievous suffering awaits them. 36 They would desire to go forth from the fire, and they shall not go forth from it, and they shall have a lasting punishment. 37 As for the thief -male or female - cut off the hands of both. This is a recompense for what they have done, and an exemplary punishment from Allah. Allah is All-Mighty, All-Wise. 38 But if the thief repents after his crime, and amends his conduct, Allah turneth to him in forgiveness; for Allah is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful. 39 Knowest thou not that Allah! verily His is the dominion of the heavens and the earth; He chastiseth whomsoever He will and forgiveth whomsoever He will; and Allah is over everything Potent. 40 ۞ O Messenger! Let not them grieve thee who vie one with another in the race to disbelief, of such as say with their mouths: "We believe," but their hearts believe not, and of the Jews: listeners for the sake of falsehood, listeners on behalf of other folk who come not unto thee, changing words from their context and saying: If this be given unto you, receive it, but if this be not given unto you, then beware! He whom Allah doometh unto sin, thou (by thine efforts) wilt avail him naught against Allah. Those are they for whom the Will of Allah is that He cleanse not their hearts. Theirs in the world will be ignominy, and in the Hereafter an awful doom; 41 those who eagerly listen to any falsehood, greedily swallowing all that is evil! Hence, if they come to thee [for judgment,] thou mayest either judge between them or leave them alone: for, if thou leave them alone, they cannot harm thee in any way. But if thou dost judge, judge between them with equity: verily, God knows those who act equitably. 42 But why do they come to you for judgement when they have the Torah, which enshrines God's own judgement? Yet, in spite of that, they turn their backs; and certainly they will not believe. 43