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for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and he protected him. When he heard him, he was greatly perplexed; and yet he liked to listen to him.
21
But an opportunity came when Herod on his birthday gave a banquet for his courtiers and officers and for the leaders of Galilee.
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When his daughter Herodias came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests; and the king said to the girl, "Ask me for whatever you wish, and I will give it."
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And he solemnly swore to her, "Whatever you ask me, I will give you, even half of my kingdom."
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She went out and said to her mother, "What should I ask for?" She replied, "The head of John the baptizer."
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Immediately she rushed back to the king and requested, "I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter."
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The king was deeply grieved; yet out of regard for his oaths and for the guests, he did not want to refuse her.
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Immediately the king sent a soldier of the guard with orders to bring John's head. He went and beheaded him in the prison,
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brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl. Then the girl gave it to her mother.
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When his disciples heard about it, they came and took his body, and laid it in a tomb.
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The apostles gathered around Jesus, and told him all that they had done and taught.
31
He said to them, "Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while." For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat.
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And they went away in the boat to a deserted place by themselves.
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Now many saw them going and recognized them, and they hurried there on foot from all the towns and arrived ahead of them.
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As he went ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things.
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When it grew late, his disciples came to him and said, "This is a deserted place, and the hour is now very late;
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send them away so that they may go into the surrounding country and villages and buy something for themselves to eat."
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But he answered them, "You give them something to eat." They said to him, "Are we to go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread, and give it to them to eat?"
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And he said to them, "How many loaves have you? Go and see." When they had found out, they said, "Five, and two fish."
39
Then he ordered them to get all the people to sit down in groups on the green grass.
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So they sat down in groups of hundreds and of fifties.