Psalm 15

A Description of the Godly

A psalm of David.

John the Baptist Beheaded

14 At that time^(A) Herod the tetrarch^(B) heard the report about Jesus. ² “This is John the Baptist,” he told his servants. “He has been raised from the dead, and that’s why miraculous powers are at work in him.”^(C)

³ For Herod had arrested John, chained^[a] him, and put him in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife,^{(D) 4} since John had been telling him, “It’s not lawful^(E) for you to have her.” ⁵ Though Herod wanted to kill John, he feared the crowd since they regarded John as a prophet.^(F)

⁶ When Herod’s birthday celebration came, Herodias’s daughter danced before them^[b] and pleased Herod. ⁷ So he promised with an oath to give her whatever she asked. ⁸ Prompted by her mother, she answered, “Give me John the Baptist’s head here on a platter.” ⁹ Although the king regretted it, he commanded that it be granted because of his oaths and his guests. ¹⁰ So he sent orders and had John beheaded in the prison. ¹¹ His head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, who carried it to her mother. ¹² Then his disciples came, removed the corpse,^[c] buried it, and went and reported to Jesus.

The Anointing at Bethany

12 Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany^(A) where Lazarus^[a] was, the one Jesus had raised from the dead.^{(B) 2} So^(C) they gave a dinner for him there; Martha^(D) was serving them, and Lazarus was one of those reclining at the table with him. ³ Then Mary took a pound of perfume, pure and expensive nard, anointed Jesus’s feet, and wiped his feet with her hair.^(E) So the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.

⁴ Then one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot^(F) (who was about to betray him), said, ⁵ “Why wasn’t this perfume sold for three hundred denarii^[b](G) and given to the poor?” ⁶ He didn’t say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief.^(H) He was in charge of the money-bag and would steal part of what was put in it.

⁷ Jesus answered, “Leave her alone; she has kept it for the day of my burial.^{(I) 8} For you always have the poor with you,^(J) but you do not always have me.”