John the Baptist Beheaded
1 At that time Herod the tetrarch heard the reports about Jesus,
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and he said to his attendants, “This is John the Baptist; he has risen from the dead! That is why miraculous powers are at work in him.”
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Now Herod had arrested John and bound him and put him in prison because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife,
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for John had been saying to him: “It is not lawful for you to have her.”
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Herod wanted to kill John, but he was afraid of the people, because they considered John a prophet.
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On Herod’s birthday the daughter of Herodias danced for the guests and pleased Herod so much
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that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she asked.
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Prompted by her mother, she said, “Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist.”
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The king was distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he ordered that her request be granted