Matthew 14:1–12

The Death of John the Baptist

14^vAt that time ^wHerod the tetrarch heard about the fame of Jesus, ²and he said to his servants, ^x“This is John the Baptist. He has been raised from the dead; that is why these miraculous powers are at work in him.” ³For ^yHerod had seized John and bound him and ^zput him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife,^{1 4}because John had been saying to him, ^a“It is not lawful for you to have her.” ⁵And though he wanted to put him to death, ^bhe feared the people, because they held him to be ^ca prophet. ⁶But when Herod’s ^dbirthday came, the daughter of Herodias danced before the company and pleased Herod, ⁷so that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she might ask. ⁸Prompted by her mother, she said, “Give me the head of John the Baptist here on a platter.” ⁹And the king was sorry, but because of his oaths and his guests he commanded it to be given. ¹⁰He sent and had John beheaded in the prison, ¹¹and his head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, and she brought it to her mother. ¹²And ^ehis disciples came and took the body and buried it, and they went and told Jesus.