25. The girl hurried back and told Herod, “Straight away on a dish I want the head of John the Baptist!”
26. The king was very sorry for what he had said. But he did not want to break the promise he had made in front of his guests.
27. At once he ordered a guard to cut off John's head there in prison.
28. The guard put the head on a dish and took it to the girl. Then she gave it to her mother.
29. When John's followers learnt that he had been killed, they took his body and put it in a tomb.
30. After the apostles returned to Jesus, they told him everything they had done and taught.
31. But so many people were coming and going that Jesus and the apostles did not even have a chance to eat. Then Jesus said, “Let's go to a place where we can be alone and get some rest.”
32. They left in a boat for a place where they could be alone.
33. But many people saw them leave and worked out where they were going. So people from every town ran on ahead and got there first.
34. When Jesus got out of the boat, he saw the large crowd that was like sheep without a shepherd. He felt sorry for the people and started teaching them many things.