20. For Herod was afraid of John, because he knew him to be a righteous and holy man and protected him. And when he listened to him, he was greatly perplexed, and yet he listened to him gladly.
21. And a suitable day came when Herod, on his birthday, gave a banquet for his courtiers and military tribunes and the most prominent men of Galilee.
22. And when the daughter of Herodias herself came in and danced and pleased Herod and his dinner guests, the king said to the girl, “Ask me for whatever you want, and I will give it to you.”
23. And he swore to her, “Anything whatever you ask me for I will give you, up to half my kingdom!”
24. And she went out and said to her mother, “What should I ask for?” And she said, “The head of John the baptizer.”
25. And she came in immediately with haste to the king and asked, saying, “I want you to give me the head of John the Baptist on a platter immediately.”
26. And although he was deeply grieved, the king, because of his oaths and dinner guests, did not want to refuse her.
27. And immediately the king sent an executioner and ordered him to bring his head. And he went and beheaded him in the prison.
28. And he brought his head on a platter and gave it to the girl, and the girl gave it to her mother.
29. And when his disciples heard this, they came and took away his corpse and placed it in a tomb.
30. And the apostles regathered to Jesus and reported to him everything that they had done and that they had taught.
31. And he said to them, “You yourselves come privately to an isolated place and rest for a short time.” For those who were coming and going were many, and they did not even have time to eat.
32. And they went away in the boat to an isolated place by themselves.
33. And many people saw them leaving and recognized them, and ran there together by land from all the towns, and arrived ahead of them.
34. And getting out of the boat he saw the large crowd and had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd, and he began to teach them many things.
35. And the hour had already become late when his disciples came up to him, saying, “The place is desolate and the hour is already late.
36. Send them away so that they can go into the surrounding farms and villages and purchase something to eat for themselves.”