9 On the subject of mutual charity you have no need for anyone to write you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another.
10 Indeed, you do this for all the brothers throughout Macedonia. Nevertheless we urge you, brothers, to progress even more,
11 and to aspire to live a tranquil life, to mind your own affairs, and to work with your (own) hands, as we instructed you,
1 A Psalm. Sing a new song to the LORD, who has done marvelous deeds, Whose right hand and holy arm have won the victory.
7 Let the sea and what fills it resound, the world and those who dwell there.
8 Let the rivers clap their hands, the mountains shout with them for joy,
9 Before the LORD who comes, who comes to govern the earth, To govern the world with justice and the peoples with fairness.
17 Herod was the one who had John arrested and bound in prison on account of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip, whom he had married.
18 John had said to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.”
19 Herodias harbored a grudge against him and wanted to kill him but was unable to do so.
20 Herod feared John, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man, and kept him in custody. When he heard him speak he was very much perplexed, yet he liked to listen to him.
21 She had an opportunity one day when Herod, on his birthday, gave a banquet for his courtiers, his military officers, and the leading men of Galilee.
22 Herodias’s own daughter came in and performed a dance that delighted Herod and his guests. The king said to the girl, “Ask of me whatever you wish and I will grant it to you.”
23 He even swore (many things) to her, “I will grant you whatever you ask of me, even to half of my kingdom.”
24 She went out and said to her mother, “What shall I ask for?” She replied, “The head of John the Baptist.”
25 The girl hurried back to the king’s presence and made her request, “I want you to give me at once on a platter the head of John the Baptist.”
26 The king was deeply distressed, but because of his oaths and the guests he did not wish to break his word to her.
27 So he promptly dispatched an executioner with orders to bring back his head. He went off and beheaded him in the prison.
28 He brought in the head on a platter and gave it to the girl. The girl in turn gave it to her mother.
29 When his disciples heard about it, they came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.
