17 Kuba uHerode ngokwakhe wayethumele ukuba abanjwe uYohane, afakwe entolongweni. UHerode wakwenza oku ngenxa kaHerodiya awayethe wamzeka nangona angumka-Filipu, umninawe wakhe.
18 Kaloku uYohane wayethe kuHerode: “Akuvumelekanga ukuba umthathe umfazi womntakwenu.”
19 UHerodiya ke wamxhiba, wazungula ukumbulala. Kodwa wayengenako,
20 kuba uHerode wayemoyika uYohane, emazi ukuba uyindoda elungileyo, engcwele, waza wambeka elugcinweni. UHerode wayethanda ukumphulaphula uYohane, nangona wayedideka kakhulu akumva.
21 Lada ke lafika ithuba elihle kuHerodiya. Yayisisikhumbuzo sokuzalwa kukaHerode, waza wazenzela itheko izikhulu zakhe, neenjengele zakhe, namanene elaseGalili.
22 Yangena ke intombi kaHerodiya, yangqungqa yamkholisa uHerode nabo babesethekweni kunye naye. Waza ukumkani wathi kwintombi leyo: “Cela nantoni na oyifunayo; ndokupha.”
23 Wafunga esithi: “Into othe wayicela kum ndokupha, nokuba sisiqingatha sobukumkani bam.”