¹² From then on Pilate sought to release Him, but the Jews cried out, saying, “If you let this Man go, you are not Caesar’s friend. ^(A)Whoever makes himself a king speaks against Caesar.”

⁶ But when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some brethren to the rulers of the city, crying out, ^(A)“These who have turned the world upside down have come here too. ⁷ Jason has ^[a]harbored them, and these are all acting contrary to the decrees of Caesar, ^(B)saying there is another king—Jesus.”

^33 (A)Then Pilate entered the ^[a]Praetorium again, called Jesus, and said to Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?”

³⁴ Jesus answered him, “Are you speaking for yourself about this, or did others tell you this concerning Me?”

³⁵ Pilate answered, “Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered You to me. What have You done?”

^36 (B)Jesus answered, ^(C)“My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here.”

² And they began to ^(A)accuse Him, saying, “We found this fellow ^(B)perverting ^[a]the nation, and ^(C)forbidding to pay taxes to Caesar, saying ^(D)that He Himself is Christ, a King.”

^3 (E)Then Pilate asked Him, saying, “Are You the King of the Jews?”

He answered him and said, “It is as you say.”

⁴ So Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowd, ^(F)“I find no fault in this Man.”

⁵ But they were the more fierce, saying, “He stirs up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, beginning from ^(G)Galilee to this place.”

^16 (A)But when Herod heard, he said, “This is John, whom I beheaded; he has been raised from the dead!” ¹⁷ For Herod himself had sent and laid hold of John, and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife; for he had married her. ¹⁸ Because John had said to Herod, ^(B)“It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.”

¹⁹ Therefore Herodias ^[a]held it against him and wanted to kill him, but she could not; ²⁰ for Herod ^(C)feared John, knowing that he was a just and holy man, and he protected him. And when he heard him, he ^[b]did many things, and heard him gladly.

^21 (D)Then an opportune day came when Herod ^(E)on his birthday gave a feast for his nobles, the high officers, and the chief men of Galilee. ²² And when Herodias’ daughter herself came in and danced, and pleased Herod and those who sat with him, the king said to the girl, “Ask me whatever you want, and I will give it to you.” ²³ He also swore to her, ^(F)“Whatever you ask me, I will give you, up to half my kingdom.”

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

And she said, “The head of John the Baptist!”

²⁵ Immediately she came in with haste to the king and asked, saying, “I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter.”

^26 (G)And the king was exceedingly sorry; yet, because of the oaths and because of those who sat with him, he did not want to refuse her.

²⁴ And after some days, when Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish, he sent for Paul and heard him concerning the ^(A)faith in Christ. ²⁵ Now as he reasoned about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come, Felix was afraid and answered, “Go away for now; when I have a convenient time I will call for you.” ²⁶ Meanwhile he also hoped that ^(B)money would be given him by Paul, ^[a]that he might release him. Therefore he sent for him more often and conversed with him.

²⁷ But after two years Porcius Festus succeeded Felix; and Felix, ^(C)wanting to do the Jews a favor, left Paul bound.