²¹Finally the right time came. Herod gave a big dinner on his birthday. He invited his high officials and military leaders. He also invited the most important men in Galilee. ²²Then the daughter of Herodias came in and danced. She pleased Herod and his dinner guests.

The king said to the girl, “Ask me for anything you want. I’ll give it to you.” ²³And he promised her with an oath, “Anything you ask for I will give you. I’ll give you up to half of my kingdom.”

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

“The head of John the Baptist,” she answered.

²⁵At once the girl hurried to ask the king. She said, “I want you to give me the head of John the Baptist on a big plate right now.”

²⁶The king was very upset. But he thought of his promise and his dinner guests. So he did not want to say no to the girl. ²⁷He sent a man right away to bring John’s head. The man went to the prison and cut off John’s head. ²⁸He brought it back on a big plate. He gave it to the girl, and she gave it to her mother.

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