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, while making a covenant with them, and We said to them. "Enter the gate humbly," and We also commanded them, "Transgress not in the matter of the Sabbath." We took from them a firm covenant. 154 So, for their breaking of the covenant, and disbelieving the verses of Allah, and killing their Prophets without right and for saying, 'Our hearts are covered' no, but Allah has sealed them for their disbelief, so, except for a few, they do not believe. 155 and for their refusal to acknowledge the truth, and the awesome calumny which they utter against Mary, 156 and their saying: 'We slew the Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary', the Messenger of Allah - whereas in fact they had neither slain him nor crucified him but the matter was made dubious to them - and those who differed about it too were in a state of doubt! They have no definite knowledge of it, but merely follow conjecture; and they surely slew him not, 157 but Allah raised him to Himself. Allah is All-Mighty, All-Wise. 158 There are none among the People of the Book but will believe in him before his death, and he will be a witness against 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 because they practised usury although it had been forbidden them; and for using others' wealth unjustly. For those who are unbelievers among them We have reserved a painful punishment. 161 But to the learned among them, and the believers who affirm what has been revealed to you and was revealed to those before you, and to those who fulfil their devotional obligations, who pay the zakat and believe in God and the Last Day, We shall give a great reward. 162