Narrate to them the example of the people of the city when the messengers came to it. 13 When We sent them two messengers, they rejected them both, so We strengthened them with a third. They said, "Truly, we have been sent to you [by God] as messengers." 14 They said, 'You are naught but mortals like us; the All-merciful has not sent down anything. You are speaking only lies.' 15 They said: "Our Lord doth know that we have been sent on a mission to you: 16 who have been sent to you. Our only duty is to preach clearly to you". 17 They said: verily we augur ill of you; if ye desist not, we shall surely stone you, and there will befall you from us a torment afflictive. 18 They said, 'Your augury is with you; if you are reminded? But you are a prodigal people.' 19 And there came running from the farthest part of the town, a man, saying: "O my people! Obey the Messengers; 20 follow those who ask no wage of you and are rightly guided. 21 And why should I not serve Him who originated me, and unto whom you shall be returned? 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 "I would indeed, if I were to do so, be in manifest Error. 24 Verily I believe now in your Lord; so hearken unto me. 25 [And] he was told, "[Thou shalt] enter paradise!" - [whereupon] he exclaimed: "Would that my people knew 26 That my Lord hath forgiven me, and hath made me of the honoured ones. 27 ۞ After him, We did not send down any hosts from the heaven; We stood in no need to send down any host. 28 It was but one shout, and lo! they were extinct. 29 Woe, for those (unbelieving) worshipers! They mocked every Messenger that came to them. 30 Have they not seen how many generations, living before them, had We destroyed and they cannot ever come back to them? 31 All of them shall (one day) be gathered before Us. 32