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 Swaying between this (and that), (belonging) neither to these nor to those. He whom Allah causeth to go astray, thou (O Muhammad) wilt not find a way for him: 143 O you who have believed, do not take the disbelievers as allies instead of the believers. Do you wish to give Allah against yourselves a clear case? 144 Surely the hypocrites shall be in the lowest depth of the Fire and you shall find none to come to their help, 145 But those who repent and mend their ways, who hold fast to God and are sincere in their worship of God will be joined with the believers; and God will bestow a great reward upon the believers. 146 What can Allah gain by your punishment, if ye are grateful and ye believe? Nay, it is Allah that recogniseth (all good), and knoweth all things. 147 ۞ Allah approveth not the publishment of evil speech, unless by one who hath been wronged; and Allah is ever Hearing, Knowing. 148 If you do good openly or in secret or pardon an evil, surely God is All-pardoning, All-powerful. 149 VERILY, those who deny God and His apostles by endeavouring to make a distinction between [belief in] God and [belief in] His apostles, and who say: "We believe in the one but we deny the other," and want to pursue a path in-between 150 They are in truth (equally) unbelievers; and we have prepared for unbelievers a humiliating punishment. 151 And those who believe in Allah and all His Noble Messengers and do not make any distinction in belief between any of them – to them Allah will soon give them their reward; and Allah is Oft Forgiving, Most Merciful. 152