Mark 6:21-28 ▼

21 A strategic day came when Herod on his birthday gave a banquet for his lords 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 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 was unwilling to refuse her.

27 Immediately the king sent an executioner and commanded [him] to bring [back] his head. And he went and had him beheaded 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.