Mark 6:7-30

He  summoned  the Twelve  and began to send  them out in pairs and gave them authority over unclean  spirits.  He instructed them to take nothing for the road except a staff #— #no bread, no traveling bag,  no money in their belts, but to wear sandals and not put on an extra shirt.  He said to them, “Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that place. If any place does not welcome   you or listen to you, when you leave there, shake the dust off your feet   as a testimony   against them.”   So they went out and preached  that people should repent.  They drove out many demons,  anointed  many sick  people with oil  and healed them.  King  Herod  heard about it, because Jesus’s name  had become well known. Some  said, “John the Baptist  has been raised from the dead,  and that’s why miraculous powers  are at work  in him.” But others said, “He’s Elijah.”  Still others said, “He’s a prophet, like one of the prophets from long ago.”  When Herod  heard of it, he said, “John,  the one I beheaded, has been raised! ”  For  Herod himself had given orders to arrest John and to chain  him in prison on account of Herodias,  his brother Philip’s wife, because he had married her.  John had been telling Herod, “It is not lawful  for you to have your brother’s wife.”  So Herodias held a grudge against him and wanted to kill  him. But she could not, because Herod feared  John and protected him, knowing he was a righteous  and holy  man. When Herod heard him he would be very perplexed,  , and yet he liked to listen to him.  An opportune time came on his birthday, when Herod gave a banquet  for his nobles,  military commanders,  and the leading men of Galilee.  When Herodias’s own daughter  came in and danced,  she pleased Herod and his guests. The king said to the girl, “Ask me whatever you want, and I’ll give it to you.” He promised her with an  oath:  “Whatever you ask me I will give you, up to half my kingdom.”  She went out and said to her mother, “What should I ask for? ” “John the Baptist’s  head,” she said. At once she hurried to the king and said, “I want you to give me John the Baptist’s  head on a platter  immediately.” Although the king was deeply distressed,  because of his oaths  and the guests  he did not want to refuse  her. The king immediately sent for an executioner and commanded him to bring John’s head. So he went and beheaded him in prison, brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl. Then the girl gave it to her mother. When John’s disciples  heard about it, they came and removed his corpse and placed it in a tomb.  The  apostles  gathered around Jesus and reported to him all that they had done and taught.