Those who disbelieve the verses of Allah and the meeting with Him shall despair of My Mercy, for them there awaits a painful punishment. 23 Then the answer of his people was naught but that they said: slay him, or burn him. Then Allah delivered him from the fire; verily herein are signs for a people who believe. 24 And he said, 'You have only taken to yourselves idols, apart from God, as a mark of mutual love between you in the present life; then upon the Day of Resurrection you will deny one another, and you will curse one another, and your refuge will be the Fire, and you will have no helpers.' 25 ۞ And Lot believed him, and said: Lo! I am a fugitive unto my Lord. Lo! He, only He, is the Mighty, the Wise. 26 And [as for Abraham,] We bestowed upon him Isaac and [Isaac's son] Jacob, and caused prophethood and revelation to continue among his offspring. And We vouchsafed him his reward in this world; and verily, in the life to come [too] he shall find himself among the righteous. 27 And We rescued Lut when he said to his people, “You indeed commit the shameful; such that no one in the creation has ever done before you.” 28 You approach men and waylay them on the road and commit depravities within your gatherings." But his people's only reply was, "Bring down God's punishment upon us, if what you say be true." 29 He said: My Lord! help me against the mischievous people. 30