The People of the Scripture ask you to bring down to them a book from the heaven. But they had asked of Moses [even] greater than that and said, "Show us Allah outright," so the thunderbolt struck them for their wrongdoing. Then they took the calf [for worship] after clear evidences had come to them, and We pardoned that. And We gave Moses a clear authority. 153 And We raised above them the Mount, taking compact with them; and We said to them, 'Enter in at the gate, prostrating'; and We said to them, 'Transgress not the Sabbath'; and We took from them a solemn compact. 154 Accursed are they then for their breach of the bond and their rejecting the commandments of Allah and their slaying the prophets without justification, and their saying: our hearts are uncircumcised. Aye! Allah hath set a seal upon them for their infidelity, wherefore they believe not but a little. 155 And for their unbelief and for their having uttered against Marium a grievous calumny. 156 They declared, "We have put to death the Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, the Messenger of God." They did not kill him, nor did they crucify him, but it only seemed to them [as if it had been so]. And those who differ in this matter are in doubt concerning it. They have no definite knowledge about it, but only follow mere conjecture. But they certainly did not kill him. 157 Nay, Allah raised him up unto Himself; and Allah is Exalted in Power, Wise;- 158 There is not one among the people of the Book who will not believe in it before his death; and he will be a witness over them on the Day of Resurrection. 159 Thus, We forbade them many clean things which had earlier been made lawful for them, for the wrong-doing of those who became Jews, for their barring many from the way of Allah, 160 And for their taking of usury, that they were prohibited, and consuming the wealth of people in falsehood, for the unbelievers among them We have prepared a painful punishment. 161 But those among them who are well-grounded in knowledge, and the believers, believe in what hath been revealed to thee and what was revealed before thee: And (especially) those who establish regular prayer and practise regular charity and believe in Allah and in the Last Day: To them shall We soon give a great reward. 162