of those who have received the
scriptures desire to seduce you; but they seduce themselves only, and
they perceive it not. O ye who have received the scriptures, why do ye
not believe in the signs of God, since ye are witnesses of them? O ye
who have received the scriptures, why do ye clothe truth with vanity,
and knowingly hide the truth? And some of those to whom the scriptures
were given, say, Believe in that which hath been sent down unto those
who believe, in the beginning of the day, and deny it in the end
thereof; that they may go back from their faith: and believe him only
who followeth your religion. Say, Verily the true direction is the
direction of God, that there may be given unto some other a revelation
like unto what hath been given unto you. Will they dispute with you
before your Lord? Say, Surely excellence is in the hand of God, he
giveth it unto whom he pleaseth; God is bounteous and wise: he will
confer peculiar mercy on whom he pleaseth; for God is endued with great
beneficence. There is of those who have received the scriptures, unto
whom if thou trust a talent, he will restore it unto thee; and there is
also of them, unto whom if thou trust a dinar,[55] he will not restore
it unto thee, unless thou stand over him continually with great urgency.
This they do because they say, We are not obliged to observe justice
with the heathen: but they utter a lie against God, knowingly. Yea;
whoso keepeth his covenant, and feareth God, God surely loveth those who
fear him. But they who make merchandise of God's covenant, and of their
oaths, for a small price, shall have no portion in the next life,
neither shall God speak to them or regard them on the day of
resurrection, nor shall he cleanse them; but they shall suffer a
grievous punishment. And there are certainly some of them, who read the
scriptures perversely, that ye may think what they read to be really in
the scriptures, yet it is not in the scripture; and they say, This is
from God; but it is not from God: and they speak that which is false
concerning God, against their own knowledge. It is not fit for a man,
that God should give him a book of revelations, and wisdom, and
prophecy; and then he should say unto men, Be ye worshippers of me,
besides God; but he ought to say, Be ye perfect in knowledge and in
works, since ye know the scriptures, and exercise yourselves therein.
God hath not commanded you to take the angels and the prophets for your
Lords: W