Matthew 14:1-12 - Herod Kills John The Baptist

¹ At that time Herod the Tetrarch heard of the fame of Jesus, ² And said to his servants, This is John the Baptist; he hath risen from the dead; and therefore mighty works do show forth themselves in him.

³ For Herod had laid hold on John, and bound him, and put him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife. ⁴ For John had said to him, It is not lawful for thee to have her. ⁵ And when he would have put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet.

⁶ But when Herod's birth-day was kept, the daughter of Herodias danced before them, and pleased Herod. ⁷ Upon which he promised with an oath to give her whatever she would ask. ⁸ And she, being before instructed by her mother, said, Give me here the head of John the Baptist in a dish. ⁹ And the king was sorry: nevertheless for the sake of the oath, and of them who sat with him at table, he commanded it to be given her. ¹⁰ And he sent, and beheaded John in the prison. ¹¹ And his head was brought in a dish, and given to the damsel: and she brought it to her mother. ¹² And his disciples came, and took up the body, and buried it, and went and told Jesus.

¹⁴ And king Herod heard of him (for his name was spread abroad:) and he said, That John the Baptist had risen from the dead, and therefore mighty works do show forth themselves in him. ¹⁵ Others said, That it is Elijah. And others said, That it is a prophet, or as one of the prophets.

¹⁶ But when Herod heard of him, he said, It is John, whom I beheaded: he hath risen from the dead. ¹⁷ For Herod himself had sent forth and laid hold upon John, and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife: for he had married her. ¹⁸ For John had said to Herod, It is not lawful for thee to have thy brother's wife. ¹⁹ Therefore Herodias had a quarrel against him, and would have killed him; but she could not: ²⁰ For Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just and holy man, and observed him: and when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly.

²¹ And when a convenient day had come, that Herod on his birth-day made a supper to his lords, high captains, and chief men of Galilee; ²² And when the daughter of the said Herodias came in, and danced, and pleased Herod, and them that sat with him, the king said to the damsel, Ask of me whatever thou wilt, and I will give it thee. ²³ And he swore to her, Whatever thou shalt ask of me, I will give it thee, to the half of my kingdom.

²⁴ And she went forth, and said to her mother, What shall I ask? and she said, The head of John the Baptist.

²⁵ And she came in forthwith with haste to the king, and asked, saying, I will that thou shouldst give me, immediately, in a dish, the head of John the Baptist.

²⁶ And the king was exceeding sorry: yet for his oath's sake, and for their sakes who sat with him, he would not reject her. ²⁷ And immediately the king sent an executioner, and commanded his head to be brought: and he went and beheaded him in the prison, ²⁸ And brought his head in a dish, and gave it to the damsel: and the damsel gave it to her mother. ²⁹ And when his disciples heard of it, they came and took up his corpse, and laid it in a tomb.