And propound thou unto them the similitude of the inhabitants of a town, when there came thereto the sent ones. 13 When We sent to them two Messengers, they belied them both, so We reinforced them with a third, and they said: "Verily! We have been sent to you as Messengers." 14 [The others] answered: "You are nothing but mortal men like ourselves; moreover, the Most Gracious has never bestowed aught [of revelation] from on high. You do nothing but lie!" 15 They said: 'Our Lord knows that we are Messengers to you. 16 but we are not bound to do more than clearly deliver the message [entrusted to us]." 17 They rejoined: "We feel you augur ill. If you do not desist, we shall stone you to death, and inflict a grievous punishment on you." 18 They said: your evil augury be with you. Call ye it an ill-luck because ye are admonished! Aye! ye are a people extravagant. 19 Then a man came running from the other side of the city. "O my people," he said, "follow the messengers. 20 Follow those who ask of you no fee, and who are rightly guided. 21 And why should I not serve Him who originated me, and unto whom you shall be returned? 22 What, shall I take, other than Him, gods whose intercession, if the Merciful desires to afflict me, cannot help me at all, and they will never save me? 23 (Had I worshipped things besides God, I would have been in manifest error). 24 "Verily, [O my people,] in the Sustainer of you all have I come to believe: listen, then, to me!" 25 It was said (to him when the disbelievers killed him): "Enter Paradise." He said: "Would that my people knew! 26 That my Lord hath forgiven me, and hath made me of the honoured ones. 27 ۞ And We did not send down upon his people after him any hosts from heaven, nor do We ever send down. 28 nothing was [needed] but one single blast [of Our punishment] - and lo! they became as still and silent as ashes. 29 Ah! Alas for (My) Servants! There comes not a messenger to them but they mock him! 30 Do they not see how many of the generations We have destroyed before them? Verily, they will not return to them. 31 They will all be brought into Our presence together. 32