And this, too, is a divine writ which We have bestowed from on high, a blessed one: follow it, then, and be conscious of God, so that you might be graced with His mercy. 155 lest you should say, 'The Book was sent down only upon two parties before us, and we have indeed been heedless of their study'; 156 or lest you say: "If a divine writ had been bestowed from on high upon us, we would surely have followed its guidance better than they did." And so, a clear evidence of the truth has now come unto you from your Sustainer, and guidance, and grace. Who, then, could be more wicked than he who gives the lie to God's messages, and turns away from them in disdain? We shall requite those who turn away from Our messages in disdain with evil suffering for having thus turned away! 157 Are they waiting to see if the angels come to them, or thy Lord (Himself), or certain of the signs of thy Lord! the day that certain of the signs of thy Lord do come, no good will it do to a soul to believe in them then if it believed not before nor earned righteousness through its faith. Say: "Wait ye: we too are waiting." 158 You (O dear Prophet Mohammed – peace and blessings be upon him) have no concern with those who divided their religion and became several groups; their case is only with Allah – He will then inform them of what they used to do. 159 Whosoever will come with a virtue for him shall be then like thereof, and whosoever will come with a vice shall not be requited save with the like thereof; and they shall not be wronged. 160 Say thou as for me, my Lord hath guided me unto a straight path, a right religion, the faith of Ibrahim, the upright, and he was not of the associaters. 161 Say. Surely my prayer and my sacrifice and my life and my death are (all) for Allah, the Lord of the worlds; 162 No associate has He; and this am I commanded, and I am the first of those who submit. 163 Say: "Shall I seek a lord other than Allah, while He is the Lord of all things? No person earns any (sin) except against himself (only), and no bearer of burdens shall bear the burden of another. Then unto your Lord is your return, so He will tell you that wherein you have been differing." 164 And He it is Who hath made you successors in the earth, and hath raised some of you over others in degrees, that he might prove you by that which He hath vouchsafed unto you. Verily thy Lord is swift in chastising, and verily He is Forgiving, Merciful. 165