are they who follow him; and this prophet, and they who believe on him:  God is the patron of the faithful.  Some 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:  Will he command you to become infidels, after ye have been true believers?  And remember when God accepted the covenant of the prophets, saying, This verily is the scripture and the wisdom which I have given you:  hereafter shall an apostle come unto you, confirming the truth of that scripture which is with you; ye shall surely believe on him, and ye shall assist him.  God said, Are ye firmly resolved, and do ye accept my