Believers, why is it that when you are told to march for the cause of God, you seem to linger at home. Have you given preference to the worldly life over the life hereafter? The worldly gains compared to those of the next life are but very little. 38 If you go not forth, He will chastise you with a painful chastisement, and instead of you He will substitute another people; and you will not hurt Him anything, for God is powerful over everything. 39 If you do not succour the Apostle, then [know that God will do so - just as] God succoured him at the time when those who were bent on denying the truth drove him away, [and he was but] one of two: when these two were [hiding] in the cave, [and] the Apostle said to his companion, "Grieve not: verily, God is with us." And thereupon God bestowed upon him from on high His [gift of] inner peace, and brought utterly low the cause of those who were bent on denying the truth, whereas the cause of God remained supreme: for God is almighty, wise. 40 Go forth, light-armed and heavy-armed, and strive with your wealth and your lives in the way of Allah! That is best for you if ye but knew. 41 Had the gain been immediate or the journey easy, they would have followed you; but the distance seemed far to them. Yet they will swear by Allah: 'Had we been able, we would have gone out with you' They bring destruction upon their souls. Allah knows that they are lying. 42