قَالَتْ لَهُمْ رُسُلُهُمْ إِن نَّحْنُ إِلَّا بَشَرٌ مِّثْلُكُمْ وَلَـٰكِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَمُنُّ عَلَىٰ مَن يَشَآءُ مِنْ عِبَادِهِۦ ۖ وَمَا كَانَ لَنَآ أَن نَّأْتِيَكُم بِسُلْطَـٰنٍ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِ ٱللَّهِ ۚ وَعَلَى ٱللَّهِ فَلْيَتَوَكَّلِ ٱلْمُؤْمِنُونَ
Qaalat lahum Rusuluhum in nahnu illaa basharum mislukum wa laakinnal laaha yamunnu 'alaa mai yashaaa'u min 'ibaadihee wa maa kaana lanaaa an naatiyakum bisul taanin illaa bi iznil laah; wa 'alal laahi falyatawakkalil mu'minonn
Their messengers answered, ‘True, we are only men like you, but God favours whichever of His servants He chooses. We cannot bring you any proof unless God permits it, so let the believers put all their trust in Him-
Their messengers said to them, "We are only human beings like you, but God bestows his favor on whichever of his servants he wills. It is not for us to bring you any authority except by God's permission. And in God let the believers place their trust.
The reply repeats the objection with the pronouns swapped: the people said the messengers were only human like them, and the messengers grant it. Everything turns on the wa-lākin that follows, one clause conceding the whole premise and moving the question from the messenger's nature to God's choosing. The demand for a clear authority is then answered by refusing to own one.