Mark 6:16
in Mark 6But when Herod heard this, he said, “John, whom I beheaded, has risen from the dead!”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
But Herod, when he heard thereof, said, John, whom I beheaded, he is risen.
KJV
But when Herod heard thereof, he said, It is John, whom I beheaded: he is risen from the dead.
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This verse in Mark 6
Commentary
12 notes on this verseA commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
But when Herod heard thereof, he said, It is John, whom I beheaded; he is risen from the dead--"Himself has risen"; as if the innocence and sanctity of his faithful reprover had not suffered that he should lie long dead.
This site's exposition
John the Baptist was risen from the dead
on Mark 6:14-16
Mark now opens the flashback that fills the middle of the chapter, wrapped around the mission of the twelve exactly as the Jairus story wrapped around the woman with the issue of blood earlier in the Gospel, each interpreting the other, a king's guilty conscience set against the disciples' bold, unburdened preaching. Herod's own theory that John is risen betrays a conscience that cannot let the murder rest, and the popular guesses, Elias or a prophet, show a people already primed to recognize resurrection and prophetic return as live categories. Herod's flat conclusion, it is John, whom I beheaded, closes the paragraph before the narrative doubles back to tell how.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
(de Con. Evan. ii. 43) But in these words Luke bears witness to Mark, to this point at least, that others and not Herod said that John had risen; but Luke had represented Herod as hesitating, and has put down his words as if he said, John have I beheaded, but who is this of whom I hear such things? We must however suppose, that after this hesitation, he had confirmed in his own mind what others had said, for he says to his children, as Matthew relates, This is John the Baptist, he has risen from the dead. (Matt. 14:2) Or else these words are to be spoken, so as to indicate that he is still hesitating, particularly as Mark who had said above that others had declared that John had risen from the dead, afterwards however is not silent as to Herod's plainly saying, It is John, whom I beheaded: he is risen from the dead. Which words also may be spoken in two ways, either they may be understood as those of a man affirming or doubling.
A commentator
JosephusAntiquities of the Jews - Book XVIII, Chapter 5, Section 2 · Written before 100.
proposed
Now some of the Jews thought that the destruction of Herod's army came from God, and that very justly, as a punishment of what he did against John, that was called the Baptist: for Herod slew him, who was a good man, and commanded the …
(Vict. Ant. e Cat. in Marc.) There follows, But when Herod heard thereof, he said, It is John, whom I beheaded: he is risen from the dead. Herod expressly says, this in irony.
The Medieval Church2 voices
When this was heard, Herod said: "John, whom I beheaded, has risen from the dead." Luke wrote about this in this way: "Now Herod the tetrarch heard of all that was done by him, and he was perplexed, because it was said by some that …
And Herod was afraid. So wretched was this man that he was afraid of a dead man!
5 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
He is risen from the dead; and though while he was with us he did no miracle, yet, having removed for awhile to another world, he is come again with greater power, and now mighty works do show forth themselves in him. " Note, 1. Where there is an idle faith, there is commonly a working fancy.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — odd-straight-quotes
But when Herod heard thereof,.... Either of Christ, or rather of the different opinions about him, he said, it is John, whom I have beheaded: the thought stuck close to him, and continued with him; he could not get rid of it, nor persuade himself to the contrary; nor could any of his servants get him off of it, but he affirmed it with the greatest assurance imaginable.
Christ's retirement into a desert place with his disciples; the crowds that followed him thither to receive instruction from him; and his feeding five thousand of them with five loaves and two fishes,
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
J.C. Ryle1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Mark (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1857)
proposed
These verses describe the death of one of the most eminent saints of God. They relate the murder of John the Baptist. Of all the evangelists none tells this melancholy story so fully as Mark. Let us see what practical lessons the passage contains for our own souls. We see, in the first place, the amazing power of truth over the conscience . Herod "fears" John the Baptist while he lives, and is troubled about him after he dies. A friendless, solitary preacher, with no other weapon than God's truth, disturbs and terrifies a king. Everybody has a conscience.
A commentator
J.C. Ryle1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Mark (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1857)
proposed
These verses describe the death of one of the most eminent saints of God. They relate the murder of John the Baptist. Of all the evangelists none tells this melancholy story so fully as Mark. Let us see what practical lessons the passage contains for our own souls. We see, in the first place, the amazing power of truth over the conscience . Herod "fears" John the Baptist while he lives, and is troubled about him after he dies. A friendless, solitary preacher, with no other weapon than God's truth, disturbs and terrifies a king. Everybody has a conscience. Here lies the secret of a faithful minister's power. This is the reason why Felix "trembled," and Agrippa was "almost persuaded," when Paul the prisoner spoke before them. God has not left Himself without witness in the hearts of unconverted people. Fallen and corrupt as man is, there are thoughts within him accusing or excusing, according as he lives — thoughts that will not be shut out — thoughts that can make even kings, like Herod, restless and afraid. None ought to remember this so much as ministers and teachers. If they preach and teach Christ's truth, they may rest assured that their work is not in vain. Children may seem inattentive in schools. Hearers may seem careless in congregations. But in both cases there is often far more going on in the conscience than our eyes see. Seeds often spring up and bear fruit, when the sower, like John the Baptist, is dead or gone. We see, in the second place, how far people may go in religion, and yet miss salvation by yielding to one master-sin. King Herod went further than many. He "feared John." He "knew that he was a just man and holy." He "observed" him. He "heard him, and did many things" in consequence. He even "heard him gladly." But there was one thing Herod would not do. He would not cease from adultery. He would not give up Herodias.
The words behind it
11 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ἀκούσας | akousas | Having heard | G191 → | 425 times |
| δὲ | de | now | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| ὁ | ho | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| Ἡρῴδης | herodes | Herod | G2264 → | 43 times |
| ἔλεγεν | elegen | was saying | G3004 → | 1325 times |
| ὃν | hon | Whom | G3739 → | 1405 times |
| ἐγὼ | ego | I myself | G1473 → | 839 times |
| ἀπεκεφάλισα | apekephalisa | beheaded | G607 → | |
| Ἰωάννην, | ioannen | John — | G2491 → | 134 times |
| οὗτος | houtos | he | G3778 → | 1381 times |
| ἠγέρθη | egerthe | is risen | G1453 → | 142 times |
ἀκούσαςHaving heard
akousasG191 →425 times
δὲnow
deG1161 →2765 times
ὁ<the>
hoG3588 →19766 times
ἩρῴδηςHerod
herodesG2264 →43 times
ἔλεγενwas saying
elegenG3004 →1325 times
ὃνWhom
honG3739 →1405 times
ἐγὼI myself
egoG1473 →839 times
ἀπεκεφάλισαbeheaded
apekephalisaG607 →
Ἰωάννην,John —
ioannenG2491 →134 times
οὗτοςhe
houtosG3778 →1381 times
ἠγέρθηis risen
egertheG1453 →142 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Psalms 53:5There they are, overwhelmed with dread, where there was nothing to fear. For God has scattered the bones of those who besieged you. You put them to shame, for God has despised them.
it leads to
- Proverbs 28:1
The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are as bold as a lion.
- Leviticus 26:36
As for those of you who survive, I will send a faintness into their hearts in the lands of their enemies, so that even the sound of a windblown leaf will put them to…
- Jeremiah 6:30
They are called rejected silver, because the LORD has rejected them.”
- Psalms 141:7
As when one plows and breaks up the soil, so our bones have been scattered at the mouth of Sheol.
- Ezekiel 6:5
I will lay the corpses of the Israelites before their idols and scatter your bones around your altars.
- Proverbs 28:1
Through
Luke 9:9“I beheaded John,” Herod said, “but who is this man I hear such things about?” And he kept trying to see Jesus.
it leads to
- Luke 23:8
When Herod saw Jesus, he was greatly pleased. He had wanted to see Him for a long time, because he had heard about Him and was hoping to see Him perform a miracle.
- Luke 23:8
Through
Matthew 14:2and said to his servants, “This is John the Baptist; he has risen from the dead! That is why miraculous powers are at work in him.”
it leads to
- Matthew 16:14
They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
- John 10:41
Many came to Him and said, “Although John never performed a sign, everything he said about this man was true.”
- Matthew 16:14
Where this verse is studied
About Mark
This page draws on 10 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Alexander Maclaren, Expositions of Holy Scripture, Mark; Augustine of Hippo, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Bede, On the Gospel of Mark; J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Mark (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews - Book XVIII, Chapter 5, Section 2; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Pseudo-Chrysostom, Catena Aurea by Aquinas and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Mark.