22 A filha de Herodíades apresentou-se e pôs-se a dançar, com grande satisfação de Herodes e dos seus convivas. Disse o rei à moça: Pede-me o que quiseres, e eu to darei.

23 E jurou-lhe: Tudo o que me pedires te darei, ainda que seja a metade do meu reino.

24 Ela saiu e perguntou à sua mãe: Que hei de pedir? E a mãe respondeu: A cabeça de João Batista.

25 Tornando logo a entrar apressadamente à presença do rei, exprimiu-lhe seu desejo: Quero que sem demora me dês a cabeça de João Batista.

26 O rei entristeceu-se; todavia, por causa da sua promessa e dos convivas, não quis recusar.

27 Sem tardar, enviou um carrasco com a ordem de trazer a cabeça de João. Ele foi, decapitou João no cárcere,

28 trouxe a sua cabeça num prato e a deu à moça, e esta a entregou à sua mãe.

22 When the daughter of "Herodias came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his dinner guests. The king said to the girl, "Ask me for anything you want, and I'll give it to you."

23 And he promised her with an oath, "Whatever you ask I will give you, up to half my kingdom."

24 She went out and said to her mother, "What shall I ask for?" "The head of John the Baptist," she answered.

25 At once the girl hurried in to the king with the request: "I want you to give me right now the head of John the Baptist on a platter."

26 The king was greatly distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he did not want to refuse her.

27 So he immediately sent an executioner with orders to bring John's head. The man went, beheaded John in the prison,

28 and brought back his head on a platter. He presented it to the girl, and she gave it to her mother.