Mark 6:14–29

JOHN THE BAPTIST BEHEADED

¹⁴King^k Herod^l heard about it, because Jesus’s name^m had become well known. Some^B said, “John the Baptistⁿ has been raised from the dead,^o and that’s why miraculous powers^p are at work^q in him.” ¹⁵But others said, “He’s Elijah.”^r Still others said, “He’s a prophet, like one of the prophets from long ago.”^s

¹⁶When Herod^t heard of it, he said, “John,^u the one I beheaded, has been raised!”^v

¹⁷For^w Herod himself had given orders to arrest John and to chain^x him in prison on account of Herodias,^y his brother Philip’s wife, because he had married her.^{z 18}John had been telling Herod, “It is not lawful^aa for you to have your brother’s wife.”^{ab 19}So Herodias held a grudge against him and wanted to kill^ac him. But she could not, ²⁰because Herod feared^ad John and protected him, knowing he was a righteous^ae and holy^af man. When Herod heard him he would be very perplexed,^Cag and yet he liked to listen to him.^ah

²¹An opportune time came on his birthday, when Herod gave a banquet^ai for his nobles,^aj military commanders,^ak and the leading men of Galilee.^{al 22}When Herodias’s own daughter^D came in and danced,^am she pleased Herod and his guests. The king said to the girl, “Ask me whatever you want, and I’ll give it to you.” ²³He promised her with an^an oath:^ao “Whatever you ask me I will give you, up to half my kingdom.”^ap

²⁴She went out and said to her mother, “What should I ask for?”

“John the Baptist’s^aq head,” she said.

²⁵At once she hurried to the king and said, “I want you to give me John the Baptist’s^ar head on a platter^as immediately.” ²⁶Although the king was deeply distressed,^at because of his oaths^au and the guests^A he did not want to refuse^av her. ²⁷The king immediately sent for an executioner and commanded him to bring John’s head. So he went and beheaded him in prison, ²⁸brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl. Then the girl gave it to her mother. ²⁹When John’s disciples^aw heard about it, they came and removed his corpse and placed it in a tomb.^ax