Mark 6 25

Mark 6:25 kjv

And she came in straightway with haste unto the king, and asked, saying, I will that thou give me by and by in a charger the head of John the Baptist.

Mark 6:25 nkjv

Immediately she came in with haste to the king and asked, saying, "I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter."

Mark 6:25 niv

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."

Mark 6:25 esv

And she came in immediately with haste to the king and asked, saying, "I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter."

Mark 6:25 nlt

So the girl hurried back to the king and told him, "I want the head of John the Baptist, right now, on a tray!"

Mark 6 verses

Mark 6 25 Meaning

Mark 6:25 vividly portrays the swift and gruesome demand made by Salome, prompted by her mother Herodias, for the immediate execution of John the Baptist. It reveals the destructive power of a vengeful heart and the tragic consequences of a king's rash oath and moral weakness.

Mark 6 25 Context

Mark 6:25 is embedded within the tragic narrative of John the Baptist’s execution, which serves as a significant digression in Mark’s Gospel. This episode immediately follows Jesus' commissioning of the twelve disciples and the feeding of the five thousand. Its placement is deliberate: it resolves John's narrative thread, illustrates the perilous consequences of moral compromise in positions of power, and foreshadows the potential fate of Jesus and His followers. Historically, Herod Antipas, ruling Galilee and Perea, was a Roman-appointed tetrarch. His marriage to Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife (an incestuous union according to Jewish law), was a grave scandal. John the Baptist’s public condemnation of this unlawful union provoked Herodias’s deep-seated wrath. The scene unfolds during a royal banquet, where Herod, captivated by Salome’s dance, made a rash, public oath to grant her any wish, up to half his kingdom. Salome, at Herodias’s instigation, demanded John's head. The verse therefore describes the chilling moment this demand was presented to a king bound by a reckless oath and enslaved by moral cowardice.

Mark 6 25 Word analysis

• And immediately (Καὶ εὐθὺς – Kai euthys): "And" links this action directly to Herod’s previous rash promise. "Immediately" or "straightway" is a characteristic term in Mark's Gospel, often emphasizing speed and decisiveness. Here, it intensifies the drama, indicating Salome's instant and unhesitating obedience to her mother's vile instruction, leaving no time for Herod to reconsider his pledge or for conscience to intervene.

• the girl (ἡ θυγάτηρ – hē thygatēr): Refers to Salome, Herodias’s daughter. Mark’s use of "the girl" emphasizes her role as an instrument rather than the primary agent, highlighting her youthful vulnerability and unquestioning compliance to her mother’s malicious will.

• came in with haste (εἰσελθοῦσα μετὰ σπουδῆς – eiselthousa meta spoudēs): "Having come in with eagerness/urgency." This phrase amplifies the urgency conveyed by "immediately." Spoudēs implies not just speed but also earnestness and zeal, reflecting the deliberate, intense desire for revenge driven by Herodias through her daughter.

• to the king (πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα – pros ton basilea): Although technically a tetrarch, Herod Antipas is referred to as "the king." This title emphasizes his position of supreme authority, making his moral weakness and capitulation to the gruesome demand all the more profound and condemnable.

• and asked, saying, (ᾐτήσατο λέγουσα – ēitēsato legousa): "She asked, saying." The verb aiteō can mean to ask, beg, or demand. In this context, it is clearly a forceful demand, not a timid request. It highlights the deliberate and determined nature of the petition, carrying the full weight of a command.

• I will that thou give me (Θέλω ἵνα δῷς μοι – Thelō hina dōis moi): "I wish that you give me" or "I want that you give me." Thelō expresses a strong personal desire or firm will. It conveys the unwavering intent and determination behind the request, reflecting Herodias's venomous resolve transmitted through Salome.

• by and by (ἐξαυτῆς – exautēs): "At once," "forthwith," "immediately." This is yet another adverb stressing extreme immediacy, even stronger than euthys. Its repetition underscores the brutal insistence and absolute urgency of the demand, giving Herod no reprieve or opportunity for a change of heart or public outcry.

• in a charger (ἐπὶ πίνακι – epi pinaki): "On a platter" or "on a tray." This horrific and precise detail specifies the macabre manner of presentation. It turns the execution into a ghastly ceremonial act for the banquet, highlighting the sheer depravity and calculated humiliation intended for John the Baptist, reflecting ancient practices of displaying a conquered enemy's head.

• the head of John the Baptist. (τὴν κεφαλὴν Ἰωάννου τοῦ βαπτιστοῦ – tēn kephalēn Ioannou tou Baptistou): This chillingly specific object of the demand. It signifies not just execution but the public display of John's defeat and Herodias's ultimate victory. "John the Baptist" uses his full, well-known prophetic title, ironically contrasting his prophetic dignity with the indignity of his brutal end.

• Words-group Analysis:

  • "And immediately... with haste... by and by": The accumulation of adverbs of immediacy creates a profound sense of dreadful inevitability and swift execution. This rhetorical emphasis intensifies the dramatic tension and highlights the ruthless speed with which John’s fate is sealed, reflecting the unwavering determination of the evil actors involved and providing no time for Herod’s weak conscience to interfere.
  • "I will that thou give me... the head of John the Baptist": This direct and unambiguous statement, stripped of polite formality, reveals the shocking bluntness and cold calculation of the demand. It underscores the ultimate act of vengeance and the complete disdain for John's life and prophetic authority.
  • "to the king... in a charger": These phrases underscore the irony and moral perversion within a royal setting. The symbol of regal authority (the "king") is used for an act of private vengeance rather than justice, culminating in a grotesque presentation "in a charger" at a celebratory banquet, marking the depths of depravity in the court.

Mark 6 25 Bonus section

• The dramatic function of this episode within Mark’s Gospel is significant: it sets a grim precedent for how true prophets (like John) and ultimately the Messiah (Jesus) will be treated by unrighteous worldly authorities, drawing a clear parallel between John's martyrdom and Jesus's eventual suffering.
• The account highlights King Herod Antipas's profound internal conflict: caught between a superstitious fear of God (recognizing John's righteousness), concern for his public image, and the binding nature of his reckless oath, he ultimately succumbs to moral cowardice and Herodias's influence.
• This verse stands as a stark contrast between the values of God’s Kingdom—represented by John's integrity in truth-telling—and the corrupted power structures of the world, where personal animosity and political expediency lead to an abhorrent act.
• The detail of the "charger" (platter) echoes ancient Near Eastern practices of presenting heads of defeated enemies or executed traitors as trophies, but its application to a prophetic figure at a private banquet heightens the macabre and morally reprehensible nature of the event.

Mark 6 25 Commentary

Mark 6:25 is the stark and pivotal moment in the tragic account of John the Baptist's execution, instigated by Herodias’s deep-seated malice. The verse highlights the relentless immediacy and shocking brutality of Salome’s demand, made under her mother's vindictive instruction. The repeated emphasis on "immediately" underscores the unholy haste and ruthless efficiency with which this vile plot unfolds, denying King Herod any true opportunity for moral deliberation despite his stated regret. The specific request for John’s "head… in a charger" transforms a judicial execution into a public, barbaric spectacle of vengeance. This incident vividly exposes the destructive power of unrestrained hatred, the tragic consequences of rash vows, and the moral compromise of leadership enslaved by worldly reputation. It further serves to foreshadow the eventual martyrdom of Jesus Himself at the hands of earthly powers, linking John's righteous suffering to that of Christ.