Mark 6 · Verse 27

Mark 6:27

And immediately the king sent an executioner, and commanded his head to be brought: and he went and beheaded him in the prison,
Mark 6:27, King James Version

Mark 6:27 in other translations

BSBSo without delay, the king commanded that John’s head be brought in. He sent an executioner, who went and beheaded him in the prison.
WEBImmediately 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,
ASVAnd straightway the king sent forth a soldier of his guard, and commanded to bring his head: and he went and beheaded him in the prison,
YLTand immediately the king having sent a guardsman, did command his head to be brought,
DARBYAnd immediately the king, having sent one of the guard, ordered his head to be brought. And he went out and beheaded him in the prison,
BBEAnd straight away the king sent out one of his armed men, and gave him an order to come back with the head: and he went and took off John's head in prison,
WebsterAnd immediately the king sent an executioner, and commanded his head to be brought: and he went and beheaded him in the prison,

What does Mark 6:27 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
27. And immediately the king sent an executioner--one of the guards in attendance. The word is Roman, denoting one of the Imperial Guard. and commanded his head to be brought: and he went and beheaded him in the prison--after, it would seem, more than twelve months' imprisonment. Blessed martyr! Dark and cheerless was the end reserved for thee: but now thou hast thy Master's benediction, "Blessed is he whosoever shall not be offended in Me" (Mt 11:6), and hast found the life thou gavest away (Mt 10:39). But where are they in whose skirts is found thy blood?

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes
Verse 27.

(3) "executioner" or, "one of his guard"

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Mark 6:14-29

Herod feared John while he lived, and feared him still more when he was dead. Herod did many of those things which John in his preaching taught him; but it is not enough to do many things, we must have respect to all the commandments. Herod respected John, till he touched him in his Herodias. Thus many love good preaching, if it keep far away from their beloved sin. But it is better that sinners persecute ministers…

Read the full comment on Mark 6:14-29 →

Mark 6:27 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

καὶkaiAndG2532
εὐθὺςeuthusimmediatelyG2112
ἀποστείλαςaposteilashaving sentG649
ὁhotheG3588
βασιλεὺςbasileuskingG935
σπεκουλάτοραspekoulatoraan executionerG4688
ἐπέταξενepetaxenhe commandedG2004
ἐνέγκαιenegkaito be broughtG5342
τὴνtēntheG3588
κεφαλὴνkephalēnheadG2776
αὐτοῦ.autouof him.G846
καὶkaiAndG2532
ἀπελθὼνapelthōnhaving goneG565
ἀπεκεφάλισενapekephalisenhe beheadedG607
αὐτὸνautonhimG846
ἐνeninG1722
τῇtēatheG3588
φυλακῇphulakēaprisonG5438

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Mark 6:27

  • Matthew 14:10-11

    And he sent, and beheaded John in the prison. And his head was brought in a charger, and given to the damsel: and she brought it to her mother.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
the king.
Mt 14:10,11
an executioner. or, one of his guard.[Spekoulator ,] in Latin, speculator, from speculor, to look about, spy, properly denotes a sentinel; and as these sentinels kept guard at the palaces of kings, and the residences of Roman governors, so they were employed in other offices besides guarding, and usually performed that of executioners. As, however, we learn from Josephus, that Herod was at this very time engaged in war with Aretas, king of Arabia, in consequence of Herod's having divorced his daughter in order to marry Herodias, his brother Philip's wife; and as this event occurred at an entertainment given at the castle of Machaerus, while his army was on its march against his father-in-law; we are furnished with an additional reason why a speculator, or sentinel, should have been employed as an executioner; and are thus enabled to discover such a latent and undesigned coincidence as clearly evinces the truth of the evangelical narrative.

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Mark 6:26

    And the king was exceeding sorry; yet for his oath’s sake, and for their sakes which sat with him, he would not reject her.

  • Mark 6:27

    And immediately the king sent an executioner, and commanded his head to be brought: and he went and beheaded him in the prison,

  • Mark 6:28

    And brought his head in a charger, and gave it to the damsel: and the damsel gave it to her mother.

Read all of Mark 6

Mark 6:27 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y luego el rey, enviando uno de la guardia, mandó que fuese traída su cabeza;
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et le roi aussitôt envoya un de ses gardes, et lui commanda d’apporter la tête de Jean. Et celui-ci, s’en étant allé, le décapita dans la prison,
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und alsbald schickte der König einen Trabanten und befahl, sein Haupt zu bringen.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		sed misso spiculatore præcepit afferri caput ejus in disco. Et decollavit eum in carcere,