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.

Flee Sexual Immorality

^12 (A)“All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful for me,” but I will not be dominated by anything. ^13 (B)“Food is meant for the stomach and the stomach for food”—and God will destroy both one ^(C)and the other. The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but ^(D)for the Lord, and ^(E)the Lord for the body. ¹⁴ And ^(F)God raised the Lord and ^(G)will also raise us up ^(H)by his power. ¹⁵ Do you not know that ^(I)your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never! ¹⁶ Or do you not know that he who is joined^[a] to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For, as it is written, ^(J)“The two will become one flesh.” ¹⁷ But he who is joined to the Lord ^(K)becomes one spirit with him. ^18 (L)Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin^[b] a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person ^(M)sins against his own body. ¹⁹ Or ^(N)do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? ^(O)You are not your own, ^20 (P)for you were bought with a price. ^(Q)So glorify God in your body.