But on Herod’s birthday, the daughter of Herodias danced before them and pleased Herod,

At that time Herod the tetrarch ¹  heard reports about Jesus,

For Herod himself had sent men, arrested John, and bound him in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, because Herod ¹  had married her.

Herod said, “I had John ¹  beheaded, but who is this about whom I hear such things?” So Herod wanted to learn about Jesus. ² 

When ¹  he learned that he was from Herod’s jurisdiction, ²  he sent him over to Herod, ³  who also happened to be in Jerusalem ⁴  at that time.

Even Herod with his soldiers treated him with contempt and mocked him. Then, ¹  dressing him in elegant clothes, ²  Herod ³  sent him back to Pilate.

When King Herod ¹  heard this he was alarmed, and all Jerusalem with him.

Then Herod ¹  privately summoned the wise men and determined from them when the star had appeared.

But when Herod heard this, he said, “John, whom I beheaded, has been raised!”

Herod added this to them all: He locked up John in prison.

So ¹  Herod ²  questioned him at considerable length; Jesus ³  gave him no answer.

About that time King Herod ¹  laid hands on ²  some from the church to harm them. ³ 

because Herod stood in awe of ¹  John and protected him, since he knew that John ²  was a righteous and holy man. When Herod ³  heard him, he was thoroughly baffled, ⁴  and yet ⁵  he liked to listen to John. ⁶ 

When Herod ¹  had searched ²  for him and did not find him, he questioned ³  the guards and commanded that they be led away to execution. ⁴  Then ⁵  Herod ⁶  went down from Judea to Caesarea ⁷  and stayed there.

After Herod ¹  had died, an ²  angel of the Lord ³  appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt

Although ¹  Herod ²  wanted to kill John, ³  he feared the crowd because they accepted John as a prophet.

For John had repeatedly told ¹  Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” ² 

And Jesus ¹  ordered them, ²  “Watch out! Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees ³  and the yeast of Herod!”

That very day Herod and Pilate became friends with each other, ¹  for prior to this they had been enemies. ² 

Neither did Herod, for he sent him back to us. Look, he has done nothing ¹  deserving death. ²