How John the Baptizer Was Killed

17Herod* 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. 18John told Herod,

“It is not right for you to be married to your

brother’s wife.” 19So Herodias hated John. She

wanted him dead, but she was not able to persuade

Herod to kill him. 20Herod 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.

21Then 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. 22The 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.” 23He promised her,

“Anything you ask for I will give to you—even

half of my kingdom.”

24The 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.*”

25So right then the girl went back in to the

king. She said to him, “Please give me the

head of John the Baptizer. Bring it to me now

on a plate.”

26King Herod was very sad, but he didn’t

want to break the promise he had made to

her in front of his guests. 27So he sent a soldier

to cut off John’s head and bring it to him.

The soldier went and cut off John’s head in

the prison. 28He brought the head back on

a plate and gave it to the girl, and the girl

gave it to her mother. 29John’s followers heard

about what happened, so they came and got

John’s body and put it in a tomb.