no difference between them—these! we will bestow on them their reward at last. God is Gracious, Merciful!
The people of the Book will ask of thee to cause a Book to come down unto them out of Heaven. But a greater thing than this did they ask of Moses! for they said, “ Shew us God plainly!” and for this their wickedness did the fire-storm lay hold on them. Then took they the calf as the object of their worship, after that our clear tokens had come to them; but we forgave them this, and conferred on Moses undoubted power.
And we uplifted the mountain[1] over them when we made a covenant with them, and we said to them, “ Enter the gate adoring:” and we said to them, “ Transgress not on the Sabbath,” and we received from them a strict covenant.
So, for that they have broken their covenant, and have rejected the signs of God, and have put the prophets to death unjustly, saying the while, “ Our hearts are uncircumcised,”—Nay, but God hath sealed them up for their unbelief, so that but few believe.
And for their unbelief,—and for their having spoken against Mary a grievous calumny,—
And for their saying, “ Verily we have slain the Messiah, Jesus the son of Mary, an Apostle of God.” Yet they slew him not, and they crucified him not, but they had only his likeness.[2] And they who differed about him were in doubt concerning him: No sure knowledge had they about him, but followed only an opinion, and they did not really slay him, but God took him up to Himself. And God is Mighty, Wise!
There shall not be one of the people of the Book but shall believe in Him before his death, and in the day of resurrection, He will be a witness against them.
For the wickedness of certain Jews, and because they turn many from the way of God, we have forbidden them goodly viands which had been before allowed them.
And because they have taken usury, though they were forbidden it, and have devoured men's substance in frivolity, we
- ↑ See Sura [xci.] ii. 7.
- ↑ Lit. one was made to appear to them like (Jesus). Comp. [xcvii.] iii. 48. Photius, Bibl. Cod. cxiv. says that the Apocr. Book, περίοδοι ἀποστόλων, πολλὰς . . . ἀτοπίας ἀναπλάττει, κὰι τὸν Χριστὸν μὴ σταυρωθῆναι, ἀλλ' ἕτερον ἀντ' ἀυτὂυ.—This individual according to the Basilidans was Simon Cyrene; according to the Evang. Barnabæ, Judas.—Mani, Ep. Fund. ap. Evodium: “ Princeps itaque tenebrarum cruci est affixus, idemque ronam spineam portavit.”
