Their next step was to send to Him some of the Pharisees and of Herod's partisans to entrap Him in conversation.

For Herod himself had sent and had had John arrested and had kept him in prison in chains, for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife; because he had married her.

For John had repeatedly told Herod, "You have no right to be living with your brother's wife."

at which Herodias's own daughter came in and danced, and so charmed Herod and his guests that he said to her, "Ask me for anything you please, and I will give it to you."

King Herod heard of all this (for the name of Jesus had become widely known)

But when Herod heard of Him, he said, "The John, whom I beheaded, has come back to life."

for Herod stood in awe of John, knowing him to be an upright and holy man, and he protected him. After listening to him he was in great perplexity, and yet he found a pleasure in listening.

At length Herodias found her opportunity. Herod on his birthday gave a banquet to the nobles of his court and to the tribunes and the principal people in Galilee,

and when He admonished them, "See to it, be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and the yeast of Herod,"

and To love Him with all one's heart, with all one's understanding, and with all one's strength, and to love one's fellow man no less than oneself, is far better than all our whole burnt-offerings and sacrifices."