Matthew 14:12
What does Matthew 14:12 mean?
A plain-English look at Matthew 14:12 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Matthew 14:12 means
John's disciples came and reverently took his body for burial, an act of respect and remembrance for their departed teacher. After burying him, they went and informed Jesus of what had happened. This act of reporting to Jesus shows their trust in Him and acknowledges His close connection to John. It also marks the formal end of John’s earthly ministry, signaling a transition point in God’s redemptive plan.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000And his disciples came, and took up the corpse, and buried him; and they went and told Jesus.
KJV
King James Version · 1611And his disciples came, and took up the body, and buried it, and went and told Jesus.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901And his disciples came, and took up the corpse, and buried him; and they went and told Jesus.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949And his disciples came, and took up his body and put it in the earth; and they went and gave Jesus news of what had taken place.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862And his disciples having come, took up the body, and buried it, and having come, they told Jesus,
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752And his disciples came and took the body, and buried it, and came and told Jesus.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890And his disciples came and took the body and buried it, and came and brought word to Jesus.
Context
This verse describes the immediate actions following John's execution and the display of his head. It shows the devotion of John's disciples and their response to his death. Crucially, their act of informing Jesus of John's demise directly sets the stage for Jesus' reaction and His subsequent withdrawal, which begins the next major section of the chapter.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Acts 8:2
And devout men buried Stephen, and made great lamentation over him.
- Matthew 27:58
this man went to Pilate, and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded it to be given up.
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