3. For Herod had arrested John, bound him, and put him in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife,
4. because John had repeatedly told him, “It is not lawful for you to have her.”
5. Although Herod wanted to kill John, he feared the crowd because they accepted John as a prophet.
6. But on Herod’s birthday, the daughter of Herodias danced before them and pleased Herod,
7. so much that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she asked.
8. Instructed by her mother, she said, “Give me the head of John the Baptist here on a platter.”
9. Although it grieved the king, because of his oath and the dinner guests he commanded it to be given.
10. So he sent and had John beheaded in the prison.
11. His head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, and she brought it to her mother.
12. Then John’s disciples came and took the body and buried it and went and told Jesus.
13. Now when Jesus heard this he went away from there privately in a boat to an isolated place. But when the crowd heard about it, they followed him on foot from the towns.
14. As he got out he saw the large crowd, and he had compassion on them and healed their sick.
15. When evening arrived, his disciples came to him saying, “This is an isolated place and the hour is already late. Send the crowds away so that they can go into the villages and buy food for themselves.”
16. But he replied, “They don’t need to go. You give them something to eat.”