Matthew 14:1-12

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.

10 He sent and had John beheaded in the prison,

11 and his head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, and she brought it to her mother.

12 And ¹⁰his disciples came and took the body and buried it, and they went and told Jesus.

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
• 10. 14:12 See ch. 9:14

Footnotes

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