Matthew 14:1-9

The Death of John the Baptist

1 ¹At that time ²Herod the tetrarch heard about the fame of Jesus,

2 and he said to his servants, ³“This is John the Baptist. He has been raised from the dead; that is why these miraculous powers are at work in him. ”

3 For ⁴Herod had seized John and bound him and ⁵put him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, ^[a]

4 because John had been saying to him, ⁶“It is not lawful for you to have her. ”

5 And though he wanted to put him to death, ⁷he feared the people, because they held him to be ⁸a prophet.

6 But when Herod’s ⁹birthday came, the daughter of Herodias danced before the company and pleased Herod,

7 so that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she might ask.

8 Prompted by her mother, she said, “Give me the head of John the Baptist here on a platter. ”

9 And the king was sorry, but because of his oaths and his guests he commanded it to be given.

Cross References

• 1. 14:1 For ver. 1-12, see Mark 6:14-29; Luke 9:7-9
• 2. 14:1 Luke 3:1; Acts 13:1
• 3. 14:2 ch. 16:14
• 4. 14:3 Luke 3:19, 20
• 5. 14:3 ch. 11:2; John 3:24
• 6. 14:4 Lev. 18:16; 20:21
• 7. 14:5 ch. 21:26; [ch. 21:46]
• 8. 14:5 See ch. 11:9
• 9. 14:6 Gen. 40:20

Footnotes

• [a] 14:3 Some manuscripts 'his brother’s wife'