23 And he promised her with an oath, "Anything you ask for I will give you. I'll give you up to half of my kingdom."
24 She went out and said to her mother, "What should I ask for?" "The head of John the Baptist," she answered.
25 At once the girl hurried to ask the king. She said, "I want you to give me the head of John the Baptist on a big plate right now."
26 The king was very upset. But he thought of his promise and his dinner guests. So he did not want to say no to the girl.
27 He sent a man right away to bring John's head. The man went to the prison and cut off John's head.
28 He brought it back on a big plate. He gave it to the girl, and she gave it to her mother.
29 John's disciples heard about this. So they came and took his body. Then they placed it in a tomb.