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 But they broke their covenant; and they rejected the signs of God; and put the prophets to death without justification, and said, "Our hearts are sealed." It is God who has sealed their hearts, on account of their denial of the truth. Except for a few of them, they have no faith. 155 And because they denied and spoke dreadful calumnies of Mary; 156 And because they said, “We have killed the Messiah, Eisa the son of Maryam, the Messenger of Allah”; they did not slay him nor did they crucify him, but a look-alike was created for them; and those who disagree concerning it are in doubt about it; they know nothing of it, except the following of assumptions; and without doubt, they did not kill him. 157 But Allah raised him ['Iesa (Jesus)] up (with his body and soul) unto Himself (and he is in the heavens). And Allah is Ever All-Powerful, All-Wise. 158 And there is not one of the followers of the Book but most certainly believes in this before his death, and on the day of resurrection he (Isa) shall be a witness against them. 159 And for the harmdoing of those of Jewry, We have forbidden them the good things that were permitted to them, and also for their barring many from the way of Allah. 160 and [for] their taking usury although it had been forbidden to them, and their wrongful devouring of other people's possessions. And for those from among them who [continue to] deny the truth We have readied grievous suffering. 161 But those of them who are firm in knowledge and the believers believe in that which is revealed unto thee, and that which was revealed before thee, especially the diligent in prayer and those who pay the poor-due, the believers in Allah and the Last Day. Upon these We shall bestow immense reward. 162