And propound thou unto them the similitude of the inhabitants of a town, when there came thereto the sent ones. 13 When We sent two of them they called them liars; so We sent a third to strengthen them. "We have been sent to you," they said. 14 They replied, "You are nothing but mortal men like us and the Merciful God has not revealed anything. You are surely lying." 15 (The messengers) said: "Our Lord knows that we have been sent to you. 16 And nothing devolves on us but a clear deliverance (of the message). 17 The people of the town said: “We believe you are an evil omen for us. If you do not desist, we will stone you or you will receive a grievous chastisement from us.” 18 The Messengers replied: “Your evil omen is with you. (Are you saying this) because you were asked to take heed? The truth is that you are a people who have exceeded all bounds.” 19 And from the outermost part of the city came a man running; he said, “O my people! Obey those who have been sent.” 20 Follow those who do not ask of you [any] payment, and they are [rightly] guided. 21 “And what is the matter with me that I should not worship Him Who created me, whereas it is towards Him that you are to return?” 22 What, shall I take, other than Him, gods whose intercession, if the Merciful desires to afflict me, cannot help me at all, and they will never save me? 23 "Then verily, I should be in plain error. 24 "For me, I have faith in the Lord of you (all): listen, then, to me!" 25 (But they stoned him to death.) It was said to him: "Enter Paradise;" and he said: "If only my people knew 26 Of how my Lord has forgiven me and placed me among the honored." 27 ۞ And We sent not down against his People, after him, any hosts from heaven, nor was it needful for Us so to do. 28 it was but one great blast and they fell down lifeless. 29 OH, THE REGRETS that [most] human beings will have to bear! Never has an apostle come to them without their deriding him! 30 Have they not seen how many nations before them did We destroy? Thereafter they never came back to them. 31 all shall be arraigned before Us. 32