Then the Pharisees left and made plans with the Herodians about a way to kill Jesus.

Herod Thinks Jesus Is John the Baptizer

King Herod heard about Jesus, because Jesus was now famous. Some people said, “He is John the Baptizer. He must have risen from death, and that is why he can do these miracles.”

Herod heard these things about Jesus. He said, “I killed John by cutting off his head. Now he has been raised from death!”

How John the Baptizer Was Killed

Herod himself had ordered his soldiers to arrest John and put him in prison. Herod did this to please his wife Herodias. She had been married to Herod’s brother Philip, but then Herod married her.

John told Herod, “It is not right for you to be married to your brother’s wife.”

So Herodias hated John. She wanted him dead, but she was not able to persuade Herod to kill him.

Herod was afraid to kill John, because he knew that he was a good and holy man. So he protected him. He liked listening to John, although what John said left him with so many questions.

Then the right time came for Herodias to cause John’s death. It happened on Herod’s birthday. Herod gave a dinner party for the most important government leaders, the commanders of his army, and the most important people in Galilee.

The daughter of Herodias came to the party and danced. When she danced, Herod and the people eating with him were very pleased. So King Herod said to the girl, “I will give you anything you want.”

The girl went to her mother and asked, “What should I ask King Herod to give me?” Her mother answered, “Ask for the head of John the Baptizer.”

King Herod was very sad, but he didn’t want to break the promise he had made to her in front of his guests.

Jesus warned them, “Be careful! Guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and the yeast of Herod.”

The Jewish Leaders Try to Trick Jesus

Later, the Jewish leaders sent some Pharisees and some men from the group called Herodians to Jesus. They wanted to catch him saying something wrong.