Tuesday, August 29, 2028

¹In you, LORD, I take refuge. Never let me be disappointed. ²Deliver me in your righteousness, and rescue me. Turn your ear to me, and save me. ³Be to me a rock of refuge to which I may always go. Give the command to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress. ⁴Rescue me, my God, from the hand of the wicked, from the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man. ⁵For you are my hope, Lord GOD, my confidence from my youth. ⁶I have relied on you from the womb. You are he who took me out of my mother’s womb. I will always praise you. ¹⁵My mouth will tell about your righteousness, and of your salvation all day, though I don’t know its full measure. ¹⁷God, you have taught me from my youth. Until now, I have declared your wondrous works.

¹⁷For Herod himself had sent out and arrested John and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, for he had married her. ¹⁸For John had said to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” ¹⁹Herodias set herself against him and desired to kill him, but she couldn’t, ²⁰for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and kept him safe. When he heard him, he did many things, and he heard him gladly. ²¹Then a convenient day came when Herod on his birthday made a supper for his nobles, the high officers, and the chief men of Galilee. ²²When the daughter of Herodias herself came in and danced, she pleased Herod and those sitting with him. The king said to the young lady, “Ask me whatever you want, and I will give it to you.” ²³He swore to her, “Whatever you ask of me, I will give you, up to half of my kingdom.” ²⁴She went out and said to her mother, “What shall I ask?” She said, “The head of John the Baptizer.” ²⁵She came in immediately with haste to the king and requested, “I want you to give me right now the head of John the Baptizer on a platter.” ²⁶The king was exceedingly sorry, but for the sake of his oaths and of his dinner guests, he didn’t wish to refuse her. ²⁷Immediately the king sent out a soldier of his guard and commanded to bring John’s head; and he went and beheaded him in the prison, ²⁸and brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the young lady; and the young lady gave it to her mother. ²⁹When his disciples heard this, they came and took up his corpse and laid it in a tomb.