بِسْمِ اللَّـهِ الرَّحْمَـٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَكْتُمُونَ مَا أَنزَلَ اللَّـهُ مِنَ الْكِتَابِ وَيَشْتَرُونَ بِهِ ثَمَنًا قَلِيلًا ۙ أُولَـٰئِكَ مَا يَأْكُلُونَ فِي بُطُونِهِمْ إِلَّا النَّارَ وَلَا يُكَلِّمُهُمُ اللَّـهُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ وَلَا يُزَكِّيهِمْ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ ﴿١٧٤﴾ أُولَـٰئِكَ الَّذِينَ اشْتَرَوُا الضَّلَالَةَ بِالْهُدَىٰ وَالْعَذَابَ بِالْمَغْفِرَةِ ۚ فَمَا أَصْبَرَهُمْ عَلَى النَّارِ ﴿١٧٥﴾ ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّ اللَّـهَ نَزَّلَ الْكِتَابَ بِالْحَقِّ ۗ وَإِنَّ الَّذِينَ اخْتَلَفُوا فِي الْكِتَابِ لَفِي شِقَاقٍ بَعِيدٍ ﴿١٧٦﴾

Translation:

2:174 Indeed, they who conceal any part of the Scriptures that Allah has revealed and exchange it for a small price – those consume not into their bellies except the Fire. And Allah will not speak to them on the Day of Resurrection, nor will He purify them. And they will have a painful punishment.

2:175 Those are the ones who have exchanged guidance for error and forgiveness for punishment. How boldness (They show) for the Fire!

2:176 (Their doom is) because Allah has sent down the Book in truth. And indeed, those who differ in the Book are far from the truth.

Commentary:  The preceding divine Scriptures, according to the verses of the Quran, vividly foretold the advent of the Prophet of Islam and his characteristics. This knowledge was entrusted to scholars of the Scriptures so that they would acknowledge the Prophet upon his arrival, and invite the people of the Book to believe in him [Al-i-Imran, 3:187].

Upon the arrival of the Prophet, the scholars of the Scriptures recognized the Prophet like they would their own sons and daughters. Unfortunately, personal worldly gains motivated some scholars to reject that the characteristics and signs of the Prophet were in conformity with that of the foretold prophet in the Scriptures. Whenever their views about the Prophet were sought, they either refrained to comment or falsified the facts so that people were averted from believing in him [Al-Baqara 2:146].

The verses state those who conceal any part of the divine Scripture [(مَا أَنزَلَ اللَّـهُ مِنَ الْكِتَابِ)] for worldly gains [(وَيَشْتَرُونَ بِهِ ثَمَنًا قَلِيلًا)], they are indeed exchanging guidance for error [(أُولَـٰئِكَ الَّذِينَ اشْتَرَوُا الضَّلَالَةَ بِالْهُدَىٰ)] and forgiveness for punishment [(وَالْعَذَابَ بِالْمَغْفِرَةِ)]. On the Day of Judgment, the evil of concealing the truth will be embodied and personified as a fire in their bellies [(أُولَـٰئِكَ مَا يَأْكُلُونَ فِي بُطُونِهِمْ إِلَّا النَّارَ)]. Also, Allah (SWT) will not speak to them in tones of love and compassion [(وَلَا يُكَلِّمُهُمُ اللَّـهُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ)], He will not purify them from the abomination of their deeds [(وَلَا يُزَكِّيهِمْ)], and a painful punishment will await them [(وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ)].  Allah (SWT) states clear warnings: “How boldness (do they show) for the Fire!” [(فَمَا أَصْبَرَهُمْ عَلَى النَّارِ)].

These punishments will result due to their neglecting the divine warnings revealed in the Book (the Quran):

ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّ اللَّـهَ نَزَّلَ الْكِتَابَ بِالْحَقِّ …. ﴿١٧٦﴾

2:176 (Their doom is) because Allah has sent down (the warnings in) the Book in truth…

Those whose views and beliefs differ with the divine Book (the Quran) are far from the truth:

…. وَإِنَّ الَّذِينَ اخْتَلَفُوا فِي الْكِتَابِ لَفِي شِقَاقٍ بَعِيدٍ ﴿١٧٦﴾

2:176 …And indeed, those who differ in the Book are far from the truth.