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

¹ At that time Herod the tetrarch heard the fame of Jesus, And said to his servants, This is John the Baptist: ² he is risen from the dead, and therefore these mighty powers exert themselves in him.

³ For Herod had apprehended John, and bound him and put him in prison, for Herodias sake, 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 accounted him a prophet.

⁶ But when Herod's birth-day was kept, the daughter of Herodias danced before them and pleased Herod. ⁷ Whereupon he promised with an oath, to give her whatever she should ask. And being before instructed by her mother, ⁸ she said, Give me here John the Baptist's head in a charger. ⁹ And the king was sorry; yet for the oath's sake, and them who sat with him at table, he commanded it to be given her. ¹⁰ And he sent and beheaded John in the prison. And his head was brought in a charger, ¹¹ and given to the damsel, and she carried 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 (for his name was spread abroad) and he said, John the Baptist is risen from the dead, and therefore divine powers exert themselves in him. ¹⁵ Others said, It is Elijah: and others said, It is a prophet, as one of the prophets.

¹⁶ But Herod hearing thereof, said, This is that John whom I beheaded: he is risen from the dead. ¹⁷ For Herod himself had sent and apprehended John, and bound him in prison, for Herodias sake, 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 was incensed against him, and was desirous to have killed him; but she could not. ²⁰ For Herod reverenced John, knowing that he was a just and holy man, and preserved him: and when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly.

²¹ And a convenient day being come, when Herod on his birth-day made a feast, for his lords, captains, and principal men of Galilee: ²² When the daughter of Herodias had come in and danced and pleased Herod, and his guests, the king said to the damsel, Ask of me whatsoever thou wilt, and I will give it thee. ²³ And he sware to her, Whatsoever thou shalt ask me, I will give thee, to the half my kingdom.

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

²⁵ And coming in quickly with haste to the king she asked, saying, I will that thou give me immediately in a charger the head of John the Baptist.

²⁶ And the king was exceeding sorry: yet for his oath's sake, and for the sake of his guests, he would not reject her. ²⁷ And immediately the king sent one of his guard, and commanded his head to be brought. ²⁸ And he went and beheaded him in the prison, And brought his head in a charger and gave it to the damsel, and the damsel gave it to her mother. ²⁹ And the disciples hearing it, came and took up his corpse and laid it in a tomb.