Mark 6:18

Mace New Testament

upon which John told him, "it is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife."

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
John had been telling Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.”

King James Version (1611)
For Iohn had said vnto Herod, It is not lawfull for thee to haue thy brothers wife.

King James Version
For John had said unto Herod, It is not lawful for thee to have thy brother's wife.

English Standard Version
For John had been saying to Herod, "It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife."

New American Standard Bible
For John had been saying to Herod, "It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife."

New Century Version
John had been telling Herod, "It is not lawful for you to be married to your brother's wife."

Amplified Bible
For John had been saying to Herod, "It is not lawful [under Mosaic Law] for you to have your brother's wife."

New American Standard Bible (1995)
For John had been saying to Herod, "It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife."

Legacy Standard Bible
For John had been saying to Herod, "It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife."

Berean Standard Bible
For John had been telling Herod, "It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife!"

Complete Jewish Bible
but Yochanan had told him, "It violates the Torah for you to marry your brother's wife."

Darby Translation
For John said to Herod, It is not lawful for thee to have the wife of thy brother.

Easy-to-Read Version
John told Herod, "It is not right for you to be married to your brother's wife."

Geneva Bible (1587)
For Iohn sayd vnto Herod, It is not lawfull for thee to haue thy brothers wife.

George Lamsa Translation
For John had said to Herod, It is not lawful for you to marry your brother''s wife.

Good News Translation
John the Baptist kept telling Herod, "It isn't right for you to marry your brother's wife!"

Lexham English Bible
For John had been saying to Herod, "It is not permitted for you to have your brother's wife."

Literal Translation
For John had said to Herod, It is not lawful for you to have the wife of your brother.

American Standard Version
For John said unto Herod, It is not lawful for thee to have thy brother's wife.

Bible in Basic English
For John said to Herod, It is wrong for you to have your brother's wife.

Hebrew Names Version
For Yochanan said to Herod, "It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife."

International Standard Version
John had been telling Herod, "It's not lawful for you to have your brother's wife."Leviticus 18:16; 20:21;">[xr]

Etheridge Translation
For Juchanon had said to Herodes, It is not lawful to thee to take the wife of thy brother.

Murdock Translation
For John had said to Herod: It is not lawful for thee to take thy brother's wife.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
For Iohn sayde vnto Herode: It is not lawful for thee to haue thy brothers wyfe.

English Revised Version
For John said unto Herod, It is not lawful for thee to have thy brother's wife.

World English Bible
For John said to Herod, "It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife."

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
For John had said to Herod, It is not lawful for thee, to have thy brother's wife.

Weymouth's New Testament
For John had repeatedly told Herod, "You have no right to be living with your brother's wife."

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
For Joon seide to Eroude, It is not leueful to thee, to haue the wijf of thi brothir.

Update Bible Version
For John said to Herod, It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife.

Webster's Bible Translation
For John had said to Herod, It is not lawful for thee to have thy brother's wife.

New English Translation
For John had repeatedly told Herod, "It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife."

New King James Version
Because John had said to Herod, "It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife."

New Living Translation
John had been telling Herod, "It is against God's law for you to marry your brother's wife."

New Life Bible
John the Baptist had said to Herod, "It is wrong for you to have your brother's wife."

New Revised Standard
For John had been telling Herod, "It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife."

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
For John had been saying to Herod - It is not allowed thee, to have, the wife of thy brother.

Douay-Rheims Bible
For John said to Herod: It is not lawful for thee to have thy brother’s wife.

Revised Standard Version
For John said to Herod, "It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife."

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
Iohn sayd vnto Herode: It is not laufull for the to have thy brothers wyfe.

Young's Literal Translation
for John said to Herod -- `It is not lawful to thee to have the wife of thy brother;'

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Neuertheles Ihon sayde vnto Herode It is not laufull for the to haue yi brothers wife.

Simplified Cowboy Version
John had criticized Herod for marrying her in the first place. This wasn't just some gal off the street. She had been married to Herod's brother, Philip. It was against God's law to marry your brother's wife if he was still alive and Philip was still kicking around somewhere.

Contextual Overview

¹⁴ In the mean time king Herod heard of Jesus, whose name was now celebrated, and he said, John the Baptist is risen from the dead, no wonder then that he works miracles. ¹⁵ others said, 'tis Elias. others, 'tis a prophet, or one equal to a prophet. ¹⁶ but Herod, from what he had heard, said, 'tis John himself, whom I caused to be beheaded, who is risen from the dead. ¹⁷ for Herod had given orders to seize John, and had confin'd him in prison, to gratify Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, whom he had married; ¹⁸ upon which John told him, "it is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife." ¹⁹ which Herodias resented, and form'd a design against his life, but could not execute it; ²⁰ because Herod had a respect for John, knowing him to be a very honest good man, and therefore protected him; having reform'd many things upon his remonstrances, which he us'd to receive very graciously. ²¹ however, a favourable opportunity happen'd for her, upon Herod's making an entertainment the birth-night, for all the great officers of the court, and army, and persons of the first distinction in Galilee. ²² for Herodias made her appearance there, and danc'd with such an engaging air in the eye of Herod, as well as of all the company, that the king thus addrest himself to the young lady, "ask of me whatever you please, and it shall be granted." ²³ nay, he ratified his promise with an oath, "I will give you whatever you require, said he, tho' it be even the half of my kingdom."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

It is: Leviticus 18:16, Leviticus 20:21, 1 Kings 22:14, Ezekiel 3:18, Ezekiel 3:19, Matthew 14:3, Matthew 14:4, Acts 20:26, Acts 20:27, Acts 24:24-26

Reciprocal: 2 Samuel 3:8 - Abner 2 Kings 20:14 - What said 2 Chronicles 18:7 - I hate him Job 21:31 - declare Proverbs 29:10 - The bloodthirsty Jeremiah 22:1 - Go Luke 3:19 - General Luke 13:24 - for Acts 24:25 - temperance

Cross-References

Hebrews 11:7
'Twas by faith that Noah being divinely warned of unforeseen events, with a religious concern built an ark to the preservation of his family; whereby the world became inexcusable, and he obtained the reward of that righteousness which is by faith.

1 Peter 3:20
those antient rebels in the time of Noah, when the divine forbearance waited, till the ark was quite finish'd, in which only eight persons were saved by means of the water.

2 Peter 2:5
since he did not spare the old world, having preserved only eight persons, including Noah, that preacher of virtue, when he brought the deluge upon the impious world:

Gill's Notes on the Bible

For John had said unto Herod,.... He had been personally with him, and had plainly and freely told him of his sin, and faithfully reproved him for it; alleging what he had done was contrary to the law of God:

it is not lawful, for thee to have thy brother's wife:

:-.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

See this account of the death of John the Baptist fully explained in the notes at Matthew 14:1-12.

Mark 6:20

For Herod feared John - That is, he stood in awe of him on account of his sanctity, and his boldness and fearlessness in reproving sin.

Knowing that he was a just man and an Holy - A holy, pious, upright, honest man - a man who would not be afraid of him, or afraid to speak his real sentiments.

And observed him - Margin, “kept him, or saved him.” This does not mean that he “observed” or obeyed his teachings, but that he kept him in safe custody in order to preserve him from the machinations of Herodias. He was willing to show his respect for John, and to secure him from danger, and even to do “many things” which might indicate respect for him - at least, to do so much as to guard him from his enemies.

And did many things - But he did not do the thing which was demanded of him - to break off from his sins. He attempted to make a compromise with his conscience. He still loved his sins, and did “other” things which he supposed might be accepted in the place of putting away, as he ought, the wife of his brother - the polluted and adulterous woman with whom he lived. Perhaps he treated John kindly, or spoke well of him, or aided him in his wants, and attempted in this way to silence his rebukes and destroy his faithfulness. This was probably before John was imprisoned. So sinners often treat ministers kindly, and do much to make them comfortable, and hear them gladly, while they are still unwilling to do the thing which is demanded of them - to repent and believe the gospel. They expect that their kind attentions will be accepted in the place of what God demands - repentance and the forsaking of their sins.