6 14 Now King Herod heard of it, for the fame of Jesus had spread; and people were saying, Some witnesses read: and he said ... 'John the Baptist has been raised to life, and that is why these miraculous powers are at work in him.' 6 15 Others said, 'It is Elijah.' Others again, 'He is a prophet like one of the old prophets.' 6 16 But Herod, when he heard of it, said, 'This is John, whom I beheaded, raised from the dead.' `6 17 For this same Herod had sent and arrested John and put him in prison at the instance of his brother Philip's wife, Herodias, whom he had married. 6 18 John had told Herod, 'You have no right to your brother's wife.' 6 19 Thus Herodias nursed a grudge against him and would willingly have killed him, but she could not; 6 20 for Herod went in awe of John, knowing him to be a good and holy man; so he kept him in custody. He liked to listen to him, although the listening left him greatly perplexed. 6 21 Herodias found her opportunity when Herod on his birthday gave a banquet to his chief officials and commanders and the leading men of Galilee. 6 22 Her daughter came in Or: A festive occasion came when Herod on his birthday gave ... of Galilee. The Daughter of Herodias came in ... and danced, and so delighted Herod and his guests that the king said to the girl, 'Ask what you like and I will give it you.' 6 23 And he swore an oath to her: 'Whatever you ask I will give you, up to half my kingdom.' 6 24 She went out and said to her mother, 'What shall I ask for?' She replied, 'The head of John the Baptist.' 6 25 The girl hastened back at once to the king with her request: 'I want you to give me here and now, on a dish, the head of John the Baptist.' 6 26 The king was greatly distressed, but out of regard for his oath and for his guests he could not bring himself to refuse her. 6 27 So the king sent a soldier of the guard with orders to bring John's head. The soldier went off and beheaded him in the prison, 6 28 brought the head on a dish, and gave it to the girl; and she gave it to her mother. 6 29 When John's disciples heard the news, they came and took his body away and laid it in a tomb.