"Behold," the angels told Mary, "God had chosen you, purified you, and given you distinction over all women. 42 O Mary! Remain devout to your Lord, and prostrate yourself in worship, and bow with those who bow (before Him).' 43 This is of the announcements relating to the unseen which We reveal to you; and you were not with them when they cast their pens (to decide) which of them should have Marium in his charge, and you were not with them when they contended one with another. 44 (Remember) when the angels said: "O Maryam (Mary)! Verily, Allah gives you the glad tidings of a Word ["Be!" - and he was! i.e. 'Iesa (Jesus) the son of Maryam (Mary)] from Him, his name will be the Messiah 'Iesa (Jesus), the son of Maryam (Mary), held in honour in this world and in the Hereafter, and will be one of those who are near to Allah." 45 And he shall speak unto men in his cradle, and as a grown man, and shall be of the righteous." 46 "Lord," she said, "how can I have a child when no man has touched me?" [The angel] replied, "Thus it is: God creates what He wills: when He wills a thing He need only say, "Be," and it is. 47 He will teach him the Book, the Wisdom, the Torah and the Gospel, 48 He will make him a messenger to the Children of Israel. He will say: "I have come to you with a sign from your Lord. I will make the shape of a bird out of clay for you and then breathe into it and, by God's leave, it will become a living bird. And by God's leave I will heal the blind and the leper and bring the dead to life. I will tell you what you eat and what you store up in your homes. Surely in this there is a sign for you, if you are believers. 49 And a verifier of that which is before me of the Taurat and that I may allow you part of that which has been forbidden to you, and I have come to you with a sign from your Lord therefore be careful of (your duty to) Allah and obey me. 50 "Verily, God is my Sustainer as well as your Sustainer; so worship Him [alone]: this is a straight way." 51 ۞ And when Jesus perceived their unbelief, he said, 'Who will be my helpers unto God?' The Apostles said, 'We will be helpers of God; we believe in God; witness thou our submission. 52 Our Lord, we have believed in what You revealed and have followed the messenger Jesus, so register us among the witnesses [to truth]." 53 And they devised, and God devised, and God is the best of devisers. 54