²¹ Herodias’s chance finally came on Herod’s birthday. He gave a party for his high government officials, army officers, and the leading citizens of Galilee. ²² Then his daughter, also named Herodias,^[a] came in and performed a dance that greatly pleased Herod and his guests. “Ask me for anything you like,” the king said to the girl, “and I will give it to you.” ²³ He even vowed, “I will give you whatever you ask, up to half my kingdom!”

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

Her mother told her, “Ask for the head of John the Baptist!”

²⁵ So the girl hurried back to the king and told him, “I want the head of John the Baptist, right now, on a tray!”

²⁶ Then the king deeply regretted what he had said; but because of the vows he had made in front of his guests, he couldn’t refuse her. ²⁷ So he immediately sent an executioner to the prison to cut off John’s head and bring it to him. The soldier beheaded John in the prison, ²⁸ brought his head on a tray, and gave it to the girl, who took it to her mother.

¹² Later, John’s disciples came for his body and buried it. Then they went and told Jesus what had happened.

The Death of John the Baptist

14 When Herod Antipas, the ruler of Galilee,^[a] heard about Jesus,

The Death of John the Baptist

¹⁴ Herod Antipas, the king, soon heard about Jesus, because everyone was talking about him. Some were saying,^[a] “This must be John the Baptist raised from the dead. That is why he can do such miracles.” ¹⁵ Others said, “He’s the prophet Elijah.” Still others said, “He’s a prophet like the other great prophets of the past.”

¹⁶ When Herod heard about Jesus, he said, “John, the man I beheaded, has come back from the dead.”

⁹ “I beheaded John,” Herod said, “so who is this man about whom I hear such stories?” And he kept trying to see him.