The hypocrites seek to outwit God -- but it is He who outwits them. And when they stand up for prayer, they do so reluctantly and to be seen by others, and they hardly remember God at all. 142 They dangle between the one and the other (faith and disbelief), and belong neither to these nor to those completely. And he whom Allah lets go astray, for him you can find no way. 143 Do not take deniers of the truth [who are at war with you] for your allies in preference to believers. Would you give God a clear proof against yourselves? 144 Surely the hypocrites are in the lowest stage of the fire and you shall not find a helper for them. 145 But those who repent and mend (their ways), who hold fast to Allah, and make their religion sincerely for Allah they are with the believers, and Allah will certainly give the believers a great wage. 146 Why should God punish you, if you render thanks to Him and believe in Him? God is appreciative and aware. 147 ۞ Allah does not like speaking evil publicly unless one has been wronged. Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing. 148 If you do any good openly or in secret, or pardon someone’s evil – then indeed Allah is Oft Forgiving, Able. 149 There are those who disbelieve in Allah and His Messengers and seek to differentiate between Allah and His Messengers, and say: 'We believe in some and deny others, and seek to strike a way between the two.' 150 Those indeed are they who are denying the truth beyond doubt, and We have prepared a humiliating punishment for the deniers. 151 And those who believe in Allah, and His Messengers and do not divide between any of them; to those, We shall surely give them their wages. Allah is the Forgiver, the Most Merciful. 152