Matthew 14:3-11

14:3 For Herod had arrested John, bound him, 1  and put him in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, 14:4 because John had repeatedly told 2  him, “It is not lawful for you to have her.” 3  14:5 Although 4  Herod 5  wanted to kill John, 6  he feared the crowd because they accepted John as a prophet. 14:6 But on Herod’s birthday, the daughter of Herodias danced before them and pleased Herod, 14:7 so much that he promised with an oath 7  to give her whatever she asked. 14:8 Instructed by her mother, she said, “Give me the head of John the Baptist here on a platter.” 14:9 Although it grieved the king, 8  because of his oath and the dinner guests he commanded it to be given. 14:10 So 9  he sent and had John beheaded in the prison. 14:11 His 10  head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, and she brought it to her mother.

1 tc ‡ Most witnesses (א2 C D L W Z Θ 0106 Ë1,13 33 Ï lat) read αὐτόν (auton, “him”) here as a way of clarifying the direct object; various important witnesses lack the word, however (א* B 700 pc ff1 h q). The original wording most likely lacked it, but it has been included here due to English style. NA27 includes the word in brackets, indicating reservations about its authenticity.

2 tn The imperfect tense verb is here rendered with an iterative force.

3 sn This marriage of Herod to his brother Philip’s wife was a violation of OT law (Lev 18:16; 20:21). In addition, both Herod Antipas and Herodias had each left marriages to enter into this union.

4 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.

5 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Herod) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

6 tn Grk “him” (also in the following phrase, Grk “accepted him”); in both cases the referent (John) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

7 tn The Greek text reads here ὁμολογέω (Jomologew); though normally translated “acknowledge, confess,” BDAG (708 s.v. 1) lists “assure, promise with an oath” for certain contexts such as here.

8 tn Grk “and being grieved, the king commanded.”

sn Herod was technically not a king, but this reflects popular usage. See the note on tetrarch in 14:1.

9 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of previous action(s) in the narrative.

10 tn Grk “And his”; the referent (John the Baptist) has been specified in the translation for clarity.