Mark 6:7-25

⁷And He called the twelve to Himself, and began to send them out two by two, and gave them power over unclean spirits.

⁸He commanded them that they should take nothing for the journey except a staff, only—no knapsack, no bread, nor a copper coin for their money belts—

⁹but to wear sandals, and not to put on two tunics.

¹⁰And He said to them, “Wherever you may enter into a house, stay there until you go out from there.

¹¹And as many as do not receive you nor hear you, as you leave from there, shake off the dust underneath your feet as a testimony against them. Assuredly I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Sodom or for Gomorrah in the Day of Judgment than for that city!”

¹²And when they went out, they were preaching that people should repent.

¹³And they were casting out many demons, and they were anointing with oil many who were sick, and were healing them.

¹⁴And King Herod heard, for His name became well known. And he said, “John the Baptizer has been raised from the dead, and for this reason the miracles are at work in him.”

¹⁵Others said, “He is Elijah.” But others said, “He is a prophet, like one of the prophets.”

¹⁶But when he heard, Herod said, “It is John, whom I beheaded; he has been raised from the dead!”

¹⁷For Herod himself had sent and laid hold of John, and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife; because he had married her.

¹⁸For John would say to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife.”

¹⁹Therefore Herodias held a grudge against him and was desiring to kill him, but she was not able;

²⁰for Herod was afraid of John, knowing that he was a just and holy man, and he was protecting him. And when he heard him, he did many things, and he would hear him gladly.

²¹And when an opportune day arrived, when Herod for his birthday festivities was putting on a supper for his nobles, the high officers, and the chief men of Galilee,

²²and when Herodias' daughter herself came in and danced, and pleased Herod and his dinner guests, the king said to the girl, “Ask me whatever you may want, and I will give it to you.”

²³He also swore to her, “Whatever you may ask me, I will give you, up to half of my kingdom.”

²⁴And when she had gone out, she said to her mother, “What shall I ask?” And she said, “The head of John the Baptist!”

²⁵Immediately she came in with haste to the king and she requested, saying, “I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter.”