For Herod had laid hold on John, and bound him, and put him in prison for Herodias’ sake, his brother Philip’s wife.
Parallel translations
- WEB For Herod had laid hold of John, and bound him, and put him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife.
- BSB Now Herod had arrested John and bound him and put him in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife,
- NKJV For Herod had laid hold of John and bound him, and put him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife.
- NASB For when Herod had John arrested, he bound him and put him in prison because of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip.
- NLT For Herod had arrested and imprisoned John as a favor to his wife Herodias (the former wife of Herod’s brother Philip).
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Herod had arrested and imprisoned John because of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife. John suffered for confronting sin in high places.
Overview
Matthew explains the background: Herod had seized and bound John on account of Herodias, whom he had unlawfully taken as his wife. John's imprisonment stemmed from his faithful rebuke of Herod's immoral union. The verse highlights the cost of prophetic faithfulness and the corruption of a ruler who silenced the truth he did not want to hear.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 8
- Mark 6:17For Herod himself had sent forth and laid hold upon John, and bound him in prison for Herodias’ sake, his brother Philip’s wife: for he had married her.
- Luke 3:19–20But Herod the tetrarch, being reproved by him for Herodias his brother Philip’s wife, and for all the evils which Herod had done,
- Matt 4:12Now when Jesus had heard that John was cast into prison, he departed into Galilee;
- Matt 11:2Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples,
- Luke 13:1There were present at that season some that told him of the Galilaeans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.
- Mark 6:22And when the daughter of the said Herodias came in, and danced, and pleased Herod and them that sat with him, the king said unto the damsel, Ask of me whatsoever thou wilt, and I will give it thee.
- Mark 6:19Therefore Herodias had a quarrel against him, and would have killed him; but she could not:
- John 3:23–24And John also was baptizing in Aenon near to Salim, because there was much water there: and they came, and were baptized.
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Christ at the center
Matthew presents Jesus as the promised King — son of David, son of Abraham — the new Moses and true Israel in whom every prophecy reaches 'that it might be fulfilled.'
How Matthew 14:3 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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