VERSE STUDY • KJV

Matthew 14:3-12

³ For Herod had laid hold on John, and bound him, and put [him] in prison for Herodias’ sake, his brother Philip’s wife. ⁴ For John said unto him, It is not lawful for thee to have her. ⁵ And when he would have put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet. ⁶ But when Herod’s birthday was kept, the daughter of Herodias danced before them, and pleased Herod. ⁷ Whereupon he promised with an oath to give her whatsoever she would ask. ⁸ And she, being before instructed of her mother, said, Give me here John Baptist’s head in a charger. ⁹ And the king was sorry: nevertheless for the oath’s sake, and them which sat with him at meat, he commanded [it] to be given [her]. ¹⁰ And he sent, and beheaded John in the prison. ¹¹ And his head was brought in a charger, and given to the damsel: and she brought [it] to her mother. ¹² And his disciples came, and took up the body, and buried it, and went and told Jesus.

Read it in 5 translations

KJV King James Version

³ For Herod had laid hold on John, and bound him, and put [him] in prison for Herodias’ sake, his brother Philip’s wife. ⁴ For John said unto him, It is not lawful for thee to have her. ⁵ And when he would have put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet. ⁶ But when Herod’s birthday was kept, the daughter of Herodias danced before them, and pleased Herod. ⁷ Whereupon he promised with an oath to give her whatsoever she would ask. ⁸ And she, being before instructed of her mother, said, Give me here John Baptist’s head in a charger. ⁹ And the king was sorry: nevertheless for the oath’s sake, and them which sat with him at meat, he commanded [it] to be given [her]. ¹⁰ And he sent, and beheaded John in the prison. ¹¹ And his head was brought in a charger, and given to the damsel: and she brought [it] to her mother. ¹² And his disciples came, and took up the body, and buried it, and went and told Jesus.

BSB Berean Standard Bible

³ Now Herod had arrested John and bound him and put him in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, ⁴ because John had been telling him, “It is not lawful for you to have her.” ⁵ Although Herod wanted to kill John, he was afraid of the people, because they regarded John as a prophet. ⁶ On Herod’s birthday, however, the daughter of Herodias danced before them and pleased Herod ⁷ so much that he promised with an oath to give to her whatever she asked. ⁸ Prompted by her mother, she said, “Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist.” ⁹ The king was grieved, but because of his oaths and his guests, he ordered that her wish be granted ¹⁰ and sent to have John beheaded in the prison. ¹¹ John’s head was brought in on a platter and presented to the girl, who carried it to her mother. ¹² Then John’s disciples came and took his body and buried it. And they went and informed Jesus.

WEB World English Bible

³ For Herod had laid hold of John, and bound him, and put him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife. ⁴ For John said to him, “It is not lawful for you to have her.” ⁵ When he would have put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet. ⁶ But when Herod’s birthday came, the daughter of Herodias danced among them and pleased Herod. ⁷ Whereupon he promised with an oath to give her whatever she should ask. ⁸ She, being prompted by her mother, said, “Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptizer.” ⁹ The king was grieved, but for the sake of his oaths, and of those who sat at the table with him, he commanded it to be given, ¹⁰ and he sent and beheaded John in the prison. ¹¹ His head was brought on a platter, and given to the young lady: and she brought it to her mother. ¹² His disciples came, and took the body, and buried it; and they went and told Jesus.

ASV American Standard Version

³ For Herod had laid hold on John, and bound him, and put him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife. ⁴ For John said unto him, It is not lawful for thee to have her. ⁵ And when he would have put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet. ⁶ But when Herod’s birthday came, the daughter of Herodias danced in the midst, and pleased Herod. ⁷ Whereupon he promised with an oath to give her whatsoever she should ask. ⁸ And she, being put forward by her mother, saith, Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist. ⁹ And the king was grieved; but for the sake of his oaths, and of them that sat at meat with him, he commanded it to be given; ¹⁰ and he sent and beheaded John in the prison. ¹¹ And his head was brought on a platter, and given to the damsel: and she brought it to her mother. ¹² And his disciples came, and took up the corpse, and buried him; and they went and told Jesus.

YLT Young’s Literal Translation

³ For Herod having laid hold on John, did bind him, and did put him in prison, because of Herodias his brother Philip’s wife, ⁴ for John was saying to him, ‘It is not lawful to thee to have her,’ ⁵ and, willing to kill him, he feared the multitude, because as a prophet they were holding him. ⁶ But the birthday of Herod being kept, the daughter of Herodias danced in the midst, and did please Herod, ⁷ whereupon with an oath he professed to give her whatever she might ask. ⁸ And she having been instigated by her mother—‘Give me (says she) here upon a plate the head of John the Baptist; ⁹ and the king was grieved, but because of the oaths and of those reclining with him, he commanded it to be given; ¹⁰ and having sent, he beheaded John in the prison, ¹¹ and his head was brought upon a plate, and was given to the damsel, and she brought it nigh to her mother. ¹² And his disciples having come, took up the body, and buried it, and having come, they told Jesus,

Surrounding context — Matthew 14

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

2 And said unto his servants, This is John the Baptist; he is risen from the dead; and therefore mighty works do shew forth themselves in him.

3 For Herod had laid hold on John, and bound him, and put [him] in prison for Herodias’ sake, his brother Philip’s wife.

4 For John said unto him, It is not lawful for thee to have her.

5 And when he would have put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet.

6 But when Herod’s birthday was kept, the daughter of Herodias danced before them, and pleased Herod.

7 Whereupon he promised with an oath to give her whatsoever she would ask.

8 And she, being before instructed of her mother, said, Give me here John Baptist’s head in a charger.

9 And the king was sorry: nevertheless for the oath’s sake, and them which sat with him at meat, he commanded [it] to be given [her].

10 And he sent, and beheaded John in the prison.

11 And his head was brought in a charger, and given to the damsel: and she brought [it] to her mother.

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

13 When Jesus heard [of it], he departed thence by ship into a desert place apart: and when the people had heard [thereof], they followed him on foot out of the cities.

14 And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick.

15 And when it was evening, his disciples came to him, saying, This is a desert place, and the time is now past; send the multitude away, that they may go into the villages, and buy themselves victuals.

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HISTORICAL INTERPRETATION

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