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The Death of John the Baptist

14 At that time Herod the tetrarch[a] heard reports about Jesus, and he said to his servants, “This is John the Baptist. He has been raised from the dead! And because of this, miraculous powers are at work in him.” For Herod had arrested John, bound him,[b] and put him in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, because John had repeatedly told[c] him, “It is not lawful for you to have her.”[d] Although[e] Herod[f] wanted to kill John,[g] he feared the crowd because they accepted John as a prophet. But on Herod’s birthday, the daughter of Herodias danced before them and pleased Herod, so much that he promised[h] with an oath to give her whatever she asked. Instructed by her mother, she said, “Give me the head of John the Baptist here on a platter.” Although it grieved the king,[i] because of his oath and the dinner guests he commanded it to be given. 10 So[j] he sent and had John beheaded in the prison. 11 His[k] head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, and she brought it to her mother. 12 Then John’s[l] disciples came and took the body and buried it and went and told Jesus.

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 14:1 sn A tetrarch, a ruler with rank and authority lower than a king, ruled only with the approval of the Roman authorities. This was roughly equivalent to being governor of a region. Several times in the NT, Herod, tetrarch of Galilee, is called a king (Matt 14:9, Mark 6:14-29), reflecting popular usage rather than an official title.
  2. Matthew 14:3 tc ‡ Most witnesses (א1 C D L N W Z Γ Δ Θ 0106 ƒ1, 13 33 565 579 1241 1424 M lat) read αὐτόν (auton, “him”) here as a way of clarifying the direct object; various significant witnesses lack the word, however (א* B 700 ff1 h q al). The original wording most likely lacked it, but it has been included here due to English style. NA28 includes the word in brackets, indicating reservations about its authenticity.
  3. Matthew 14:4 tn The imperfect tense verb is here rendered with an iterative force.
  4. Matthew 14:4 sn This marriage of Herod to his brother Philip’s wife was a violation of OT law (Lev 18:16; 20:21). In addition, both Herod Antipas and Herodias had each left marriages to enter into this union.
  5. Matthew 14:5 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
  6. Matthew 14:5 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Herod) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  7. Matthew 14:5 tn Grk “him” (also in the following phrase, Grk “accepted him”); in both cases the referent (John) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  8. Matthew 14:7 tn The Greek text reads here ὁμολογέω (homologeō); though normally translated “acknowledge, confess,” BDAG (708 s.v. 1) lists “assure, promise” for certain contexts such as here.
  9. Matthew 14:9 tn Grk “and being grieved, the king commanded.”sn Herod was technically not a king, but this reflects popular usage. See the note on tetrarch in 14:1.
  10. Matthew 14:10 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of previous action(s) in the narrative.
  11. Matthew 14:11 tn Grk “And his”; the referent (John the Baptist) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  12. Matthew 14:12 tn Grk “his”; the referent (John) has been specified in the translation for clarity. Here καί (kai) has been translated as “Then.”

14 About en that ekeinos · ho time kairos Herod hērōdēs the ho tetrarch tetraarchēs heard akouō the ho report akoē about Jesus Iēsous. And kai he said legō to ho his autos servants pais, “ This houtos is eimi John Iōannēs the ho Baptist baptistēs; he autos has risen egeirō from apo the ho dead nekros; and kai that is why dia · ho miraculous dynamis powers are at work energeō in en him autos.” · ho For gar Herod hērōdēs had arrested krateō · ho John Iōannēs, bound deō him autos, and kai put him apotithēmi in en prison phylakē because dia of Herodias hērōidias, the ho wife gynē of ho his autos brother adelphos Philip Philippos; because gar John Iōannēs had been telling legō · ho him autos, “It is not ou lawful for you sy to have echō her autos.” And kai though Herod wanted thelō to put him autos to death apokteinō, he feared phobeomai the ho people ochlos because hoti they considered echō him autos to be hōs a prophet prophētēs.

But de when Herod’ s hērōdēs birthday genesia came ginomai, · ho the ho daughter thugatēr of ho Herodias hērōidias danced orcheomai before en · ho them mesos and kai pleased areskō · ho Herod hērōdēs. So hothen he promised homologeō with meta an oath horkos to give didōmi her autos whatever hos ean she asked aiteō. · ho · de Prompted probibazō by hypo · ho her autos mother mētēr, she said phēmi, “ Give didōmi me egō the ho head kephalē of John Iōannēs the ho Baptist baptistēs here hōde on epi a platter pinax.” And kai although the ho king basileus was distressed lypeō, because dia of his ho oaths horkos and kai his ho dinner synanakeimai guests , he commanded keleuō it to be given didōmi to her. 10 So kai he sent pempō and had John Iōannēs beheaded apokephalizō · ho in en the ho prison phylakē. 11 And kai his autos head kephalē was brought pherō · ho on epi a platter pinax and kai given didōmi to the ho girl korasion, and kai she brought pherō it to ho her autos mother mētēr. 12 · kai John’ s autos disciples mathētēs came proserchomai · ho and took airō the ho corpse ptōma and kai buried thaptō it autos; then kai they went erchomai and told apangellō · ho Jesus Iēsous.

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