16 Kepha uHerode ekuzwile wathi: “UJohane engamnquma ikhanda nguye ovukile.”
17 Ngokuba yena uHerode wayethumele wambamba uJohane, wambopha etilongweni ngenxa kaHerodiya umkaFiliphu umfowabo, ngokuba wayeganwe nguye.
18 Ngokuba uJohane wayethe kuHerode: “Awuvunyelwe ukuthatha umkamfowenu.”
19 Njalo uHerodiya wambambela amagqubu, wafuna ukumbulala; kepha kabanga namandla,
20 ngokuba uHerode wayemesaba uJohane emazi ukuthi uyindoda elungileyo engcwele, wamlonda; nalapho emuzwa, wayesambatheka kaningi, nokho kwabamnandi kuye ukumuzwa.
21 Kwathi sekufikile usuku oluhle, lapho uHerode ngosuku lokuzalwa kwakhe ezenzela idili izikhulu zakhe, nezinduna zempi, nabanumzane baseGalile,
22 kwangena indodakazi kaHerodiya uqobo, yasina, yajabulisa uHerode nababehlezi naye. Inkosi yayisithi entombazaneni: “Cela kimi noma yini okuthandayo, ngizakukunika.”