Mark 6:21-28 ▼

21 And a strategic day came when Herod on his birthday gave a banquet for his great men and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee;

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

23 And he swore to her, “Whatever you ask of me, I will give it to you; up to half of my kingdom.”

24 And she went out and said to her mother, “What shall I ask for?” And she said, “The head of John the Baptist.”

25 And immediately she came in a hurry to the king and asked, saying, “I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter.”

26 And although the king was very sorry, yet because of his oaths and because of his dinner guests, he did not want to refuse her.

27 And immediately the king sent an executioner and commanded him to bring back his head. And he went and beheaded him in the prison,

28 and brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl; and the girl gave it to her mother.