22When the daughter of Herodias herself came in and danced, and pleased Herod and those reclining with him, the king said to the girl, “Ask me whatever you want, and I will give it to you.”
23He even swore to her, “Whatever you may ask me I will give you, up to half of my kingdom!”
24So she went out and said to her mother, “What shall I ask?” And she said, “The head of John the Baptist!”
25Hurrying in directly to the king she requested, saying, “I want you to give me right now the head of John the Baptist on a platter!”
26Though the king became very sorry, because of his oaths and of his guests he did not want to refuse her.
27Immediately the king sent an executioner and commanded the head to be brought. So he went and beheaded him in the prison,
28brought the head on a platter, and gave it to the girl; and the girl gave it to her mother.
29Upon hearing of it, his disciples came, removed the corpse and placed it in a tomb.
30Then the apostles gathered to Jesus and reported all to Him, both what they had done and what they had taught.
31Because so many were coming and going that they did not even have leisure to eat, He said to them, “Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest awhile.”
32So they went away in the boat by themselves to a deserted place.
33But many saw them going and recognized them, and they ran there on foot from all the towns and arrived before them, and came together to Him.
34Well upon disembarking Jesus saw a large crowd and was moved with compassion for them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd, and He began to teach them many things.
35When it was late in the day, His disciples came to Him and said: “This is a deserted place, and the hour is already late.
36Send them away so they may go to the surrounding farms and villages and buy themselves bread; for they have nothing to eat.”
37But in reply He said to them, “You feed them!” They say to Him, “Shall we go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread and feed them?”