Matthew 14:4
New International Version
for John had been saying to him: “It is not lawful for you to have her.”

New Living Translation
John had been telling Herod, “It is against God’s law for you to marry her.”

English Standard Version
because John had been saying to him, “It is not lawful for you to have her.”

Berean Standard Bible
because John had been telling him, “It is not lawful for you to have her.”

Berean Literal Bible
For John had been saying to him, "It is not lawful for you to have her."

King James Bible
For John said unto him, It is not lawful for thee to have her.

New King James Version
Because John had said to him, “It is not lawful for you to have her.”

New American Standard Bible
For John had been saying to him, “It is not lawful for you to have her.”

NASB 1995
For John had been saying to him, “It is not lawful for you to have her.”

NASB 1977
For John had been saying to him, “It is not lawful for you to have her.”

Legacy Standard Bible
For John had been saying to him, “It is not lawful for you to have her.”

Amplified Bible
for John had said to him, “It is not lawful (morally right) for you to have her [living with you as your wife].”

Christian Standard Bible
since John had been telling him, “It’s not lawful for you to have her.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
since John had been telling him, “It’s not lawful for you to have her!”

American Standard Version
For John said unto him, It is not lawful for thee to have her.

English Revised Version
For John said unto him, It is not lawful for thee to have her.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
John had been telling Herod, "It's not right for you to be married to her."

Good News Translation
For some time John the Baptist had told Herod, "It isn't right for you to be married to Herodias!"

International Standard Version
John had been telling him, "It is not lawful for you to have her."

Majority Standard Bible
because John had been telling him, ?It is not lawful for you to have her.?

NET Bible
because John had repeatedly told him, "It is not lawful for you to have her."

New Heart English Bible
For John said to him, "It is not lawful for you to have her."

Webster's Bible Translation
For John had said to him, It is not lawful for thee to have her.

Weymouth New Testament
because John had persistently said to him, "It is not lawful for you to have her."

World English Bible
For John said to him, “It is not lawful for you to have her.”
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
for John was saying to him, “It is not lawful to you to have her,”

Berean Literal Bible
For John had been saying to him, "It is not lawful for you to have her."

Young's Literal Translation
for John was saying to him, 'It is not lawful to thee to have her,'

Smith's Literal Translation
For John said to him, It is not lawful for thee to have her:
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
For John said to him: It is not lawful for thee to have her.

Catholic Public Domain Version
For John was telling him, “It is not lawful for you to have her.”

New American Bible
for John had said to him, “It is not lawful for you to have her.”

New Revised Standard Version
because John had been telling him, “It is not lawful for you to have her.”
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
For John had said to him, It is unlawful to have her as your wife.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
For Yohannan had said to him, “It is not lawful that she should be your wife.”
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
For John said to him: It is not lawful for you to have her.

Godbey New Testament
For John said to him, It is not lawful for thee to have her.

Haweis New Testament
For John said unto him, It is unlawful for thee to have her.

Mace New Testament
for John had said to him, it is not lawful for thee to have her.

Weymouth New Testament
because John had persistently said to him, "It is not lawful for you to have her."

Worrell New Testament
For John said to him, "It is not lawful for you to have her."

Worsley New Testament
for John said to Him, It is not lawful for thee to have her: and he would have put him to death,

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Beheading of John
3Now Herod had arrested John and bound him and put him in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, 4because John had been telling him, “It is not lawful for you to have her.” 5Although Herod wanted to kill John, he was afraid of the people, because they regarded John as a prophet.…

Cross References
Leviticus 18:16
You must not have sexual relations with your brother’s wife; that would shame your brother.

Leviticus 20:21
If a man marries his brother’s wife, it is an act of impurity. He has uncovered the nakedness of his brother; they shall be childless.

Mark 6:18
For John had been telling Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife!”

Luke 3:19-20
But when he rebuked Herod the tetrarch regarding his brother’s wife Herodias and all the evils he had done, / Herod added this to them all: He locked John up in prison.

Matthew 5:32
But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, brings adultery upon her. And he who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

Matthew 19:9
Now I tell you that whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery.”

Romans 7:2-3
For instance, a married woman is bound by law to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is released from the law of marriage. / So then, if she is joined to another man while her husband is still alive, she is called an adulteress; but if her husband dies, she is free from that law and is not an adulteress if she marries another man.

1 Corinthians 5:1
It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that is intolerable even among pagans: A man has his father’s wife.

1 Corinthians 7:10-11
To the married I give this command (not I, but the Lord): A wife must not separate from her husband. / But if she does, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband. And a husband must not divorce his wife.

1 Corinthians 7:39
A wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes, as long as he belongs to the Lord.

Malachi 2:14-16
Yet you ask, “Why?” It is because the LORD has been a witness between you and the wife of your youth, against whom you have broken faith, though she is your companion and your wife by covenant. / Has not the LORD made them one, having a portion of the Spirit? And why one? Because He seeks godly offspring. So guard yourselves in your spirit and do not break faith with the wife of your youth. / “For I hate divorce,” says the LORD, the God of Israel. “He who divorces his wife covers his garment with violence,” says the LORD of Hosts. So guard yourselves in your spirit and do not break faith.

Genesis 2:24
For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.

Deuteronomy 24:1-4
If a man marries a woman, but she becomes displeasing to him because he finds some indecency in her, he may write her a certificate of divorce, hand it to her, and send her away from his house. / If, after leaving his house, she goes and becomes another man’s wife, / and the second man hates her, writes her a certificate of divorce, hands it to her, and sends her away from his house, or if he dies, ...

2 Samuel 12:7-9
Then Nathan said to David, “You are that man! This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul. / I gave your master’s house to you and your master’s wives into your arms. I gave you the house of Israel and Judah, and if that was not enough, I would have given you even more. / Why then have you despised the command of the LORD by doing evil in His sight? You put Uriah the Hittite to the sword and took his wife as your own. You have slain him with the sword of the Ammonites.

Ezra 10:10-11
Then Ezra the priest stood up and said to them, “You have been unfaithful by marrying foreign women, adding to the guilt of Israel. / Now, therefore, make a confession to the LORD, the God of your fathers, and do His will. Separate yourselves from the people of the land and from your foreign wives.”


Treasury of Scripture

For John said to him, It is not lawful for you to have her.

Leviticus 18:16
Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy brother's wife: it is thy brother's nakedness.

Leviticus 20:21
And if a man shall take his brother's wife, it is an unclean thing: he hath uncovered his brother's nakedness; they shall be childless.

Deuteronomy 25:5,6
If brethren dwell together, and one of them die, and have no child, the wife of the dead shall not marry without unto a stranger: her husband's brother shall go in unto her, and take her to him to wife, and perform the duty of an husband's brother unto her…

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John Lawful Persistently Right
Matthew 14
1. Herod's opinion of Jesus.
3. Wherefore John Baptist was beheaded.
13. Jesus departs into a solitary place,
15. where he feeds five thousand men with five loves and two fishes.
22. He walks on the sea to his disciples;
34. and landing at Gennesaret,
35. heals the sick who touch of the hem of his garment.














because John had been telling him
John the Baptist, a prophet and forerunner of Jesus, was known for his boldness in proclaiming God's truth. His role was to prepare the way for the Messiah, calling people to repentance. In this context, John was addressing Herod Antipas, the tetrarch of Galilee and Perea. Herod was known for his immoral lifestyle and political ambition. John's repeated confrontation with Herod highlights his commitment to righteousness and his fearless proclamation of God's law, even to those in power. This reflects the prophetic tradition of holding leaders accountable to God's standards, as seen with prophets like Nathan confronting King David.

“It is not lawful for you to have her.”
John was referring to Herod's marriage to Herodias, his brother Philip's wife. According to Levitical law (Leviticus 18:16; 20:21), such a union was considered unlawful and incestuous. Herodias had divorced Philip to marry Herod, which was a violation of Jewish law and customs. This situation exemplifies the moral decay and disregard for God's commandments prevalent among the ruling class of the time. John's rebuke is consistent with the biblical theme of upholding God's law against cultural and personal compromise. This confrontation ultimately led to John's imprisonment and execution, illustrating the cost of prophetic truth-telling. John's stance also prefigures the call for believers to stand firm in truth, regardless of the consequences, echoing the teachings of Jesus on the cost of discipleship.

Persons / Places / Events
1. John the Baptist
A prophet and forerunner of Jesus Christ, known for his boldness in speaking God's truth. He was imprisoned and eventually executed for his unwavering stance against sin.

2. Herod Antipas
The tetrarch of Galilee and Perea, known for his immoral lifestyle, including his unlawful marriage to Herodias, his brother's wife.

3. Herodias
The wife of Herod's brother Philip, whom Herod unlawfully married. Herodias held a grudge against John for condemning their marriage.

4. Prison
The place where John was held captive due to his outspoken condemnation of Herod's actions.

5. Event
John's confrontation with Herod over his unlawful marriage, which ultimately led to John's imprisonment and later execution.
Teaching Points
Courage in Truth-Telling
John the Baptist exemplifies the courage required to speak God's truth, even when it leads to personal cost. Believers are called to stand firm in their convictions, regardless of societal pressures.

The Cost of Discipleship
John's imprisonment and eventual martyrdom remind us that following Christ may involve suffering and sacrifice. True discipleship often requires us to take a stand against sin.

The Danger of Unrepentant Sin
Herod's unlawful marriage and refusal to heed John's warning illustrate the spiritual peril of unrepentant sin. Believers must be vigilant in confessing and turning away from sin.

The Role of Prophets
Prophets in the Bible, like John, serve as God's mouthpieces, calling people to repentance. This role is vital in guiding believers back to God's standards.

Moral Integrity
John's unwavering commitment to God's law challenges us to uphold moral integrity in our own lives, even when it is unpopular or risky.(4) For John said unto him.--The Jewish historian (Ant. xviii. 5, ? 2) states more generally that Antipas was afraid lest some popular outbreak should be the result of the preaching of the Baptist, working on the excitable peasantry of Galilee.

Verse 4. - For John said unto him, It is not lawful (οὐκ ἔξεστιν, Matthew 12:2) for thee to have her. Herod Philip being still alive. Bengel remarks, "Causas matrimoniales non possunt plane abdicare theologi." Was he thinking of Luther's unfortunate advice to Philip of Hesse?

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
because
γὰρ (gar)
Conjunction
Strong's 1063: For. A primary particle; properly, assigning a reason.

John
Ἰωάννης (Iōannēs)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2491: Of Hebrew origin; Joannes, the name of four Israelites.

had been telling
ἔλεγεν (elegen)
Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2036: Answer, bid, bring word, command. A primary verb; to speak or say.

him,
αὐτῷ (autō)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

“It is not lawful
ἔξεστίν (exestin)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1832: It is permitted, lawful, possible.

for you
σοι (soi)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 2nd Person Singular
Strong's 4771: You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.

to have
ἔχειν (echein)
Verb - Present Infinitive Active
Strong's 2192: To have, hold, possess. Including an alternate form scheo skheh'-o; a primary verb; to hold.

her.”
αὐτήν (autēn)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Feminine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.


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