Lo! they who spread the slander are a gang among you. Deem it not a bad thing for you; nay, it is good for you. Unto every man of them (will be paid) that which he hath earned of the sin; and as for him among them who had the greater share therein, his will be an awful doom. 11 When you heard of it, why didn't the Believing men and the Believing women have a good opinion of themselves, and why did they not say, "This is a manifest slander?" 12 Why did they not produce four witnesses? If they could not produce any witnesses, they were indeed liars in the sight of God! 13 Were it not for the grace and mercy of Allah on you, in this world and the Hereafter, a grievous penalty would have seized you in that ye rushed glibly into this affair. 14 When you received it with your tongues and said with your mouths that of which you had no knowledge and thought it was insignificant while it was, in the sight of Allah, tremendous. 15 And why did you not, when you heard it, say: It does not beseem us that we should talk of it; glory be to Thee! this is a great calumny? 16 Allah admonisheth you that ye repeat not the like thereof ever, if ye are (in truth) believers. 17 And Allah clearly explains the verses for you; and Allah is All Knowing, Wise. 18 Indeed, those who like that immorality should be spread [or publicized] among those who have believed will have a painful punishment in this world and the Hereafter. And Allah knows and you do not know. 19 And were it not for Allah’s munificence and His mercy upon you, and that Allah is Forgiving, Most Merciful – you would have tasted its outcome. 20