Matthew 14:8
New International Version
Prompted by her mother, she said, “Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist.”

New Living Translation
At her mother’s urging, the girl said, “I want the head of John the Baptist on a tray!”

English Standard Version
Prompted by her mother, she said, “Give me the head of John the Baptist here on a platter.”

Berean Standard Bible
Prompted by her mother, she said, “Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist.”

Berean Literal Bible
And having been urged on by her mother she says, "Give me here upon a platter the head of John the Baptist."

King James Bible
And she, being before instructed of her mother, said, Give me here John Baptist's head in a charger.

New King James Version
So she, having been prompted by her mother, said, “Give me John the Baptist’s head here on a platter.”

New American Standard Bible
And after being prompted by her mother, she said, “Give me the head of John the Baptist here on a platter.”

NASB 1995
Having been prompted by her mother, she said, “Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist.”

NASB 1977
And having been prompted by her mother, she said, “Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist.”

Legacy Standard Bible
Now having been prompted by her mother, she said, “Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist.”

Amplified Bible
She, being coached by her mother [Herodias], said, “Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist.”

Christian Standard Bible
Prompted by her mother, she answered, “Give me John the Baptist’s head here on a platter.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
And prompted by her mother, she answered, “Give me John the Baptist’s head here on a platter!”

American Standard Version
And she, being put forward by her mother, saith, Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist.

Contemporary English Version
But the girl's mother told her to say, "Here on a serving plate I want the head of John the Baptist!"

English Revised Version
And she, being put forward by her mother, saith, Give me here in a charger the head of John the Baptist.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Urged by her mother, she said, "Give me the head of John the Baptizer on a platter."

Good News Translation
At her mother's suggestion she asked him, "Give me here and now the head of John the Baptist on a plate!"

International Standard Version
Prompted by her mother, she said, "Give me, right here on a platter, the head of John the Baptist."

Majority Standard Bible
Prompted by her mother, she said, ?Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist.?

NET Bible
Instructed by her mother, she said, "Give me the head of John the Baptist here on a platter."

New Heart English Bible
And she, being prompted by her mother, said, "Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist."

Webster's Bible Translation
And she, being before instructed by her mother, said, Give me here the head of John the Baptist in a dish.

Weymouth New Testament
So she, instigated by her mother, said, "Give me here on a dish the head of John the Baptist."

World English Bible
She, being prompted by her mother, said, “Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptizer.”
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And she, having been instigated by her mother, says, “Give me here on a plate the head of John the Immerser”;

Berean Literal Bible
And having been urged on by her mother she says, "Give me here upon a platter the head of John the Baptist."

Young's Literal Translation
And she having been instigated by her mother -- 'Give me (says she) here upon a plate the head of John the Baptist;

Smith's Literal Translation
And having been urged on by her mother, Give me, she says, here upon a board, the head of John the Baptist.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
But she being instructed before by her mother, said: Give me here in a dish the head of John the Baptist.

Catholic Public Domain Version
But, having been advised by her mother, she said, “Give me here, on a platter, the head of John the Baptist.”

New American Bible
Prompted by her mother, she said, “Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist.”

New Revised Standard Version
Prompted by her mother, she said, “Give me the head of John the Baptist here on a platter.”
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And she, because she was instructed by her mother, said, Give me right here on a tray the head of John the Baptist.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
But because she had been instructed by her mother, she had said, “Give me here in a dish the head of Yohannan The Baptizer.”
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
And being previously instigated by her mother, she said: Give me here in a dish the head of John the Immerser?

Godbey New Testament
And being instigated by her mother, she says, Give me the head of John the Baptist here in a charger.

Haweis New Testament
And she, being previously urged on by her mother, said, Give me here, in a spacious dish, the head of John the Baptist.

Mace New Testament
who being before instructed by her mother, pray, said she, order John Baptist's head to be brought here in a charger.

Weymouth New Testament
So she, instigated by her mother, said, "Give me here on a dish the head of John the Baptist."

Worrell New Testament
And she, urged on by her mother, says, "Give me here upon a plate the head of John the Immerser."

Worsley New Testament
and she, being before instructed by her mother, said, Give me here in a dish the head of John the baptist:

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Beheading of John
7so much that he promised with an oath to give to her whatever she asked. 8 Prompted by her mother, she said, “Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist.” 9The king was grieved, but because of his oaths and his guests, he ordered that her wish be granted…

Cross References
Mark 6:24-25
Then she went out and asked her mother, “What should I request?” And her mother answered, “The head of John the Baptist.” / At once the girl hurried back to the king with her request: “I want you to give me the head of John the Baptist on a platter immediately.”

Esther 5:3
“What is it, Queen Esther?” the king inquired. “What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be given to you.”

Esther 7:2
and as they drank their wine on that second day, the king asked once more, “Queen Esther, what is your petition? It will be given to you. What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be fulfilled.”

1 Kings 21:5-16
Soon his wife Jezebel came in and asked, “Why are you so sullen that you refuse to eat?” / Ahab answered, “Because I spoke to Naboth the Jezreelite and told him, ‘Give me your vineyard for silver, or if you wish, I will give you another vineyard in its place.’ And he replied, ‘I will not give you my vineyard!’” / But his wife Jezebel said to him, “Do you not reign over Israel? Get up, eat some food, and be cheerful, for I will get you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.” ...

Mark 6:22-23
When the daughter of Herodias came and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests, and the king said to the girl, “Ask me for whatever you wish, and I will give it to you.” / And he swore to her, “Whatever you ask of me, I will give you, up to half my kingdom!”

Judges 11:30-31
Jephthah made this vow to the LORD: “If indeed You will deliver the Ammonites into my hand, / then whatever comes out the door of my house to greet me on my triumphant return from the Ammonites will belong to the LORD, and I will offer it up as a burnt offering.”

2 Samuel 13:28-29
Now Absalom had ordered his young men, “Watch Amnon until his heart is merry with wine, and when I order you to strike Amnon down, you are to kill him. Do not be afraid. Have I not commanded you? Be courageous and valiant!” / So Absalom’s young men did to Amnon just as Absalom had ordered. Then all the other sons of the king got up, and each one fled on his mule.

1 Samuel 25:3
His name was Nabal, and his wife’s name was Abigail. She was an intelligent and beautiful woman, but her husband, a Calebite, was harsh and evil in his dealings.

1 Kings 19:1-2
Now Ahab told Jezebel everything that Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. / So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “May the gods deal with me, and ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I have not made your life like the lives of those you killed!”

2 Kings 11:1
When Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she proceeded to annihilate all the royal heirs.

Matthew 2:16
When Herod saw that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was filled with rage. Sending orders, he put to death all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, according to the time he had learned from the Magi.

Matthew 10:21
Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rise against their parents and have them put to death.

Matthew 27:20
But the chief priests and elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus put to death.

Acts 12:1-3
About that time, King Herod reached out to harm some who belonged to the church. / He had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword. / And seeing that this pleased the Jews, Herod proceeded to seize Peter during the Feast of Unleavened Bread.

Romans 1:29-32
They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed, and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, and malice. They are gossips, / slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant, and boastful. They invent new forms of evil; they disobey their parents. / They are senseless, faithless, heartless, merciless. ...


Treasury of Scripture

And she, being before instructed of her mother, said, Give me here John Baptist's head in a charger.

being.

2 Chronicles 22:2,3
Forty and two years old was Ahaziah when he began to reign, and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. His mother's name also was Athaliah the daughter of Omri…

Mark 6:24
And she went forth, and said unto her mother, What shall I ask? And she said, The head of John the Baptist.

Give.

1 Kings 18:4,13
For it was so, when Jezebel cut off the prophets of the LORD, that Obadiah took an hundred prophets, and hid them by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water.) …

1 Kings 19:2
Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by to morrow about this time.

2 Kings 11:1
And when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the seed royal.

a charger.

Numbers 7:13,19,84,85
And his offering was one silver charger, the weight thereof was an hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them were full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering: …

Ezra 1:9
And this is the number of them: thirty chargers of gold, a thousand chargers of silver, nine and twenty knives,

Jump to Previous
Baptist Baptizer Charger Dish Forward Head Instigated Instructed John Mother Mother's Plate Platter Prompted Suggestion
Jump to Next
Baptist Baptizer Charger Dish Forward Head Instigated Instructed John Mother Mother's Plate Platter Prompted Suggestion
Matthew 14
1. Herod's opinion of Jesus.
3. Wherefore John Baptist was beheaded.
13. Jesus departs into a solitary place,
15. where he feeds five thousand men with five loves and two fishes.
22. He walks on the sea to his disciples;
34. and landing at Gennesaret,
35. heals the sick who touch of the hem of his garment.














Prompted by her mother
This phrase indicates the influence of Herodias over her daughter. The Greek word used here is "probibazō," which means to incite or to urge. This highlights the manipulative nature of Herodias, who uses her daughter as a pawn to achieve her own vengeful desires against John the Baptist. Historically, this reflects the often complex and morally challenging dynamics within Herodian family politics, where personal vendettas could lead to drastic actions.

she said
The simplicity of this phrase belies the gravity of the request that follows. The Greek word "legō" is used here, which is a common term for speaking or saying. It underscores the directness and boldness of the daughter's request, which was likely rehearsed and delivered with confidence due to her mother's prompting. This moment is pivotal, as it sets in motion the tragic fate of John the Baptist.

Give me here on a platter
The request for John the Baptist's head "on a platter" is both shocking and symbolic. The Greek word "pinax" refers to a dish or a platter, often used for serving food. This imagery is jarring, as it juxtaposes the idea of a banquet with the gruesome demand for an execution. It reflects the decadence and moral corruption of Herod's court, where even a celebratory feast can become a setting for murder.

the head of John the Baptist
John the Baptist is a significant figure in the New Testament, known for his role in preparing the way for Jesus Christ. The request for his head signifies the culmination of Herodias's long-standing grudge against him, as John had publicly condemned her unlawful marriage to Herod. This phrase highlights the cost of prophetic truth-telling in a world resistant to moral accountability. John's martyrdom serves as a sobering reminder of the potential consequences of standing firm in one's faith and convictions.

(8) Being before instructed of her mother.--Better, being prompted, or instigated. The word does not imply that the girl had been instructed before she danced what to ask for, and St. Mark distinctly states (Mark 6:24) that she went out from the banquet-hall to ask her mother what use she was to make of the tetrarch's promise. The mother's absence shows that the supper was one for men only, and that it was among them, flushed as they were with wine, that the daughter had appeared in reckless disregard of all maiden modesty.

Verse 8. - And she, being before instructed; being put forward (Revised Version); προβιβασθεῖσα (Acts 19:33, Received Text; Deuteronomy 6:7, LXX.). The word implies that the girl herself would not have thought of it, and perhaps that she had at first some little reluctance. But if so, it was soon over, for she came back "in haste" (Mark). Of her mother. St. Mark explains that she left the room to ask her mother. Said, Give me. This is the gift I want. Here. And evidently at once. The word excludes the possibility of the feast being in Tiberias, if John was slain at Machaerus, as the passage in Josephus states (cf. Matthew 3:1, note). There is no very great difficulty in supposing the chief men of Galilee, etc. (Mark), to have gone as far as Machaerus to pay their respects to Herod and to partake of the feast, but whether the statement in Josephus is accurate, and how, if it be so, it is to be reconciled with the preceding statement that Machaerus belonged to Aretas, are questions not easily answered (see Schurer, I. 2:26). John Baptist's head in a charger; in a charger the head of John the Baptist (Revised Version). She defines here still more closely (ῶδε ἐπὶ πίνακι), and then states her request. On the form of her demand for John's death, Chrysostom says that she wished to see his tongue lying there silent, for she did not merely long to be freed from his reproaches, but to insult and jeer him (ἐπιβῆναι καὶ ἐπιτωθάσαι κειμένᾳ). Charger. A wooden trencher.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
Prompted
προβιβασθεῖσα (probibastheisa)
Verb - Aorist Participle Passive - Nominative Feminine Singular
Strong's 4264: From pro and a reduplicated form of biazo; to force forward, i.e. Bring to the front, instigate.

by
ὑπὸ (hypo)
Preposition
Strong's 5259: A primary preposition; under, i.e. of place, or with verbs; of place (underneath) or where (below) or time (when).

her
αὐτῆς (autēs)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Feminine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

mother,
μητρὸς (mētros)
Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 3384: A mother. Apparently a primary word; a 'mother'.

she said,
φησίν (phēsin)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 5346: To say, declare. Properly, the same as the base of phos and phaino; to show or make known one's thoughts, i.e. Speak or say.

“Give
Δός (Dos)
Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Singular
Strong's 1325: To offer, give; I put, place. A prolonged form of a primary verb; to give.

me
μοι (moi)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 1st Person Singular
Strong's 1473: I, the first-person pronoun. A primary pronoun of the first person I.

here
Ὧδε (Hōde)
Adverb
Strong's 5602: From an adverb form of hode; in this same spot, i.e. Here or hither.

on
ἐπὶ (epi)
Preposition
Strong's 1909: On, to, against, on the basis of, at.

a platter
πίνακι (pinaki)
Noun - Dative Masculine Singular
Strong's 4094: A plate, platter, disc, dish. Apparently a form of plax; a plate.

the
τὴν (tēn)
Article - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

head
κεφαλὴν (kephalēn)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 2776: From the primary kapto; the head, literally or figuratively.

of John
Ἰωάννου (Iōannou)
Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 2491: Of Hebrew origin; Joannes, the name of four Israelites.

the
τοῦ (tou)
Article - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

Baptist.”
Βαπτιστοῦ (Baptistou)
Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 910: From baptizo; a baptizer, as an epithet of Christ's forerunner.


Links
Matthew 14:8 NIV
Matthew 14:8 NLT
Matthew 14:8 ESV
Matthew 14:8 NASB
Matthew 14:8 KJV

Matthew 14:8 BibleApps.com
Matthew 14:8 Biblia Paralela
Matthew 14:8 Chinese Bible
Matthew 14:8 French Bible
Matthew 14:8 Catholic Bible

NT Gospels: Matthew 14:8 She being prompted by her mother said (Matt. Mat Mt)
Matthew 14:7
Top of Page
Top of Page