³ For when ^(A)Herod had John arrested, he bound him and put him ^(B)in prison because of ^(C)Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip. ⁴ For John had been saying to him, “^(D)It is not lawful for you to have her.” ⁵ Although Herod wanted to put him to death, he feared the crowd, because they regarded ^[a]John as ^(E)a prophet.

⁶ But when Herod’s birthday came, the daughter of ^(F)Herodias danced ^[b]before them and pleased ^(G)Herod, ⁷ so much that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she asked. ⁸ And after being prompted by her mother, she *said, “Give me the head of John the Baptist here on a platter.” ⁹ And although he was grieved, the king commanded it to be given because of his oaths and ^[c]his dinner guests. ¹⁰ He sent word and had John beheaded in the prison. ¹¹ And his head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, and she brought it to her mother.

¹⁶ But when Herod heard about it, he kept saying, “John, whom I beheaded, has risen!”

¹⁷ For Herod himself had sent men and had John arrested and bound in prison on account of ^(A)Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip, because he had married her. ¹⁸ For John had been saying to Herod, “^(B)It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” ¹⁹ And ^(C)Herodias held a grudge against him and wanted to put him to death, and could not do so; ²⁰ for ^(D)Herod was afraid of John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and he had been protecting him. And when he heard him, he was very perplexed; and yet he ^[a]used to enjoy listening to him. ²¹ An opportune day came when Herod, on his birthday, ^(E)held a banquet for his nobles and military commanders, and the leading people ^(F)of Galilee; ²² and when the daughter of ^(G)Herodias herself came in and danced, she pleased Herod and ^[b]his dinner guests; and the king said to the girl, “Ask me for whatever you want, and I will give it to you.” ²³ And he swore to her, “Whatever you ask of me, I will give it to you, up to ^(H)half of my kingdom.” ²⁴ And she went out and said to her mother, “What shall I ask for?” And she said, “The head of John the Baptist.” ²⁵ Immediately she came in a hurry to the king and asked, saying, “I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter.” ²⁶ And although the king was very sorry, because of his oaths and ^[c]his dinner guests, he was unwilling to refuse her. ²⁷ Immediately the king sent an executioner and commanded him to bring back his head. And he went and beheaded him in the prison, ²⁸ and brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl; and the girl gave it to her mother.

¹⁹ But when ^(A)Herod the tetrarch was reprimanded by him regarding ^(B)Herodias, his brother’s wife, and regarding all the evil things which ^(C)Herod had done, ²⁰ Herod also added this to them all: ^(D)he locked John up in prison.