The Death of John the Baptist

^14 (A)King Herod heard of it, for Jesus'^[a] name had become known. Some^[b] said, ^(B)“John the Baptist^[c] has been raised from the dead. That is why these miraculous powers are at work in him.” ^15 (C)But others said, “He is Elijah.” And others said, “He is ^(D)a prophet, like one of the prophets of old.” ¹⁶ But when Herod heard of it, he said, “John, whom I beheaded, has been raised.” ^17 (E)For it was Herod who had sent and seized John and ^(F)bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, because he had married her. ^18 (G)For John had been saying to Herod, ^(H)“It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife.” ¹⁹ And Herodias had a grudge against him and wanted to put him to death. But she could not, ²⁰ for Herod ^(I)feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and he kept him safe. When he heard him, he was greatly perplexed, and yet he ^(J)heard him gladly.

²¹ But an opportunity came when Herod ^(K)on his birthday ^(L)gave a banquet for his nobles and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee. ²² For when Herodias's daughter came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests. And the king said to the girl, “Ask me for whatever you wish, and I will give it to you.” ²³ And he vowed to her, “Whatever you ask me, I will give you, ^(M)up to half of my kingdom.” ²⁴ And she went out and said to her mother, “For what should I ask?” And she said, “The head of John the Baptist.” ²⁵ And she came in immediately 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 And the king was exceedingly sorry, but because of his oaths and his guests he did not want to break his word to her. ²⁷ And immediately the king sent an executioner with orders to bring John's^[d] head. 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. ²⁹ When his ^(N)disciples heard of it, they came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.

^29 (A)“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs of the prophets and decorate the monuments of the righteous, ³⁰ saying, ‘If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’ ³¹ Thus you witness against yourselves that you are ^(B)sons of those who murdered the prophets. ^32 (C)Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers. ³³ You serpents, ^(D)you brood of vipers, how are you to escape being sentenced to ^(E)hell? ^34 (F)Therefore ^(G)I send you ^(H)prophets and wise men and ^(I)scribes, ^(J)some of whom you will kill and crucify, and ^(K)some you will ^(L)flog in your synagogues and ^(M)persecute from town to town, ³⁵ so that on you may come all ^(N)the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous ^(O)Abel to the blood of ^(P)Zechariah the son of Barachiah,^[a] whom you murdered between ^(Q)the sanctuary and ^(R)the altar. ³⁶ Truly, I say to you, ^(S)all these things will come upon this generation.

Lament over Jerusalem

^37 (T)“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that ^(U)kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have ^(V)gathered ^(W)your children together ^(X)as a hen gathers her brood ^(Y)under her wings, and ^(Z)you were not willing!