The Death of John the Baptist

¹At that time Herod the tetrarch heard of the fame of Jesus,

²And said unto his servants, This is John the Baptist; he is risen from the dead; and therefore mighty works do shew forth themselves in him.

³For Herod had laid hold on John, and bound him, and put him in prison for Herodias’ sake, his brother Philip’s wife.

⁴For John said unto him, It is not lawful for thee to have her.

⁵And when he would have put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet.

⁶But when Herod’s birthday was kept, the daughter of Herodias danced before them, and pleased Herod.

⁷Whereupon he promised with an oath to give her whatsoever she would ask.

⁸And she, being before instructed of her mother, said, Give me here John Baptist’s head in a charger.

⁹And the king was sorry: nevertheless for the oath’s sake, and them which sat with him at meat, he commanded it to be given her.

¹⁰And he sent, and beheaded John in the prison.

¹¹And his head was brought in a charger, and given to the damsel: and she brought it to her mother.

¹²And his disciples came, and took up the body, and buried it, and went and told Jesus.

¹⁴And king Herod heard of him; (for his name was spread abroad:) and he said, That John the Baptist was risen from the dead, and therefore mighty works do shew forth themselves in him.

¹⁵Others said, That it is Elias. And others said, That it is a prophet, or as one of the prophets.

¹⁶But when Herod heard thereof, he said, It is John, whom I beheaded: he is risen from the dead.

¹⁷For Herod himself had sent forth and laid hold upon John, and bound him in prison for Herodias’ sake, his brother Philip’s wife: for he had married her.

¹⁸For John had said unto Herod, It is not lawful for thee to have thy brother’s wife.

¹⁹Therefore Herodias had a quarrel against him, and would have killed him; but she could not:

²⁰For Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just man and an holy, and observed him; and when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly.

²¹And when a convenient day was come, that Herod on his birthday made a supper to his lords, high captains, and chief estates of Galilee;

²²And when the daughter of the said Herodias came in, and danced, and pleased Herod and them that sat with him, the king said unto the damsel, Ask of me whatsoever thou wilt, and I will give it thee.

²³And he sware unto her, Whatsoever thou shalt ask of me, I will give it thee, unto the half of my kingdom.

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

²⁵And she came in straightway with haste unto the king, and asked, saying, I will that thou give me by and by in a charger the head of John the Baptist.

²⁶And the king was exceeding sorry; yet for his oath’s sake, and for their sakes which sat with him, he would not reject her.

²⁷And immediately the king sent an executioner, and commanded his head to be brought: and he went and beheaded him in the prison,

²⁸And brought his head in a charger, and gave it to the damsel: and the damsel gave it to her mother.

²⁹And when his disciples heard of it, they came and took up his corpse, and laid it in a tomb.

⁷Now Herod the tetrarch heard of all that was done by him: and he was perplexed, because that it was said of some, that John was risen from the dead;

⁸And of some, that Elias had appeared; and of others, that one of the old prophets was risen again.

⁹And Herod said, John have I beheaded: but who is this, of whom I hear such things? And he desired to see him.