John the Baptist Beheaded^(A)

14 At that time Herod^(B) the tetrarch heard the reports about Jesus,^(C)

² and he said to his attendants, “This is John the Baptist;^(A) he has risen from the dead! That is why miraculous powers are at work in him.”

⁶ On Herod’s birthday the daughter of Herodias danced for the guests and pleased Herod so much ⁷ that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she asked. ⁸ Prompted by her mother, she said, “Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist.” ⁹ The king was distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he ordered that her request be granted ¹⁰ and had John beheaded^(A) in the prison. ¹¹ His head was brought in on a platter and given to the girl, who carried it to her mother. ¹² John’s disciples came and took his body and buried it.^(B) Then they went and told Jesus.

John the Baptist Beheaded^(A)(B)

¹⁴ King Herod heard about this, for Jesus’ name had become well known. Some were saying,^[a] “John the Baptist^(C) has been raised from the dead, and that is why miraculous powers are at work in him.”

¹⁵ Others said, “He is Elijah.”^(D)

And still others claimed, “He is a prophet,^(E) like one of the prophets of long ago.”^(F)

¹⁶ But when Herod heard this, he said, “John, whom I beheaded, has been raised from the dead!”

²¹ Finally the opportune time came. On his birthday Herod gave a banquet^(A) for his high officials and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee.^{(B) 22} When the daughter of^[a] Herodias came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his dinner guests.

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

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

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

²⁵ At once the girl hurried in to the king with the request: “I want you to give me right now the head of John the Baptist on a platter.”

²⁶ The king was greatly distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he did not want to refuse her. ²⁷ So he immediately sent an executioner with orders to bring John’s head. The man went, beheaded John in the prison, ²⁸ and brought back his head on a platter. He presented it to the girl, and she gave it to her mother. ²⁹ On hearing of this, John’s disciples came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.

⁷ Now Herod^(A) the tetrarch heard about all that was going on. And he was perplexed because some were saying that John^(B) had been raised from the dead,^{(C) 8} others that Elijah had appeared,^(D) and still others that one of the prophets of long ago had come back to life.^{(E) 9} But Herod said, “I beheaded John. Who, then, is this I hear such things about?” And he tried to see him.^(F)