Matthew 14:1-12

Living Bible

14 When King Herod^[a] heard about Jesus, ² he said to his men, “This must be John the Baptist, come back to life again. That is why he can do these miracles.” ³ For Herod had arrested John and chained him in prison at the demand of^[b] his wife Herodias, his brother Philip’s ex-wife, ⁴ because John had told him it was wrong for him to marry her. ⁵ He would have killed John but was afraid of a riot, for all the people believed John was a prophet.

⁶ But at a birthday party for Herod, Herodias’s daughter performed a dance that greatly pleased him, ⁷ so he vowed to give her anything she wanted. ⁸ Consequently, at her mother’s urging, the girl asked for John the Baptist’s head on a tray.

⁹ The king was grieved, but because of his oath, and because he didn’t want to back down in front of his guests, he issued the necessary orders.

¹⁰ So John was beheaded in the prison, ¹¹ and his head was brought on a tray and given to the girl, who took it to her mother.

¹² Then John’s disciples came for his body and buried it, and came to tell Jesus what had happened.