For Herod had arrested John and had him chained and put in prison in order to please Herodias, his brother Philip's wife.

But when Herod's birthday came, Herodias' daughter [Note: According to Josephus her name was Salome], pleased him by [her sensual] dancing in front of the party guests.

His head was brought on a [large] platter and given to the young woman [i.e., Salome], and she took it to her mother [i.e., Herodias].

For it was Herod himself who had sent for John and had him arrested and chained up in prison. He did this to please Herodias, who was [i.e., had been] his brother Philip's wife, but whom Herod had married.

Now [because of this] Herodias had a grudge against John and wanted to kill him, but had not been able to.

Then an ideal opportunity arose [i.e., for Herodias to do away with John] when Herod gave a dinner on his birthday for his influential friends, military commanders and the prominent officials of Galilee.

And when Herodias' daughter [Note: According to Josephus her name was Salome] came in and danced [in front of them, sensually], she pleased Herod and his party guests so much that the king said to the young woman, "Ask me for whatever you want and I will give it to you."

and brought his head on a [large] platter and gave it to the young woman. She [in turn] gave it to her mother [Herodias].

But because he had rebuked Herod, the tetrarch, for [marrying] his brother's wife Herodias, and for all the other bad things he had done,