Matthew 14:3-5

3Before that, Herod had commanded his soldiers, ‘Take hold of John. Tie his hands and feet and put him in prison.’ Herod had done this because of his wife Herodias. Before Herod married her, she was the wife of Herod's brother Philip.

4John had said to Herod, ‘Herodias was your brother's wife. So it is not right for you to have her as your wife.’

5Herod wanted to tell his soldiers that they must kill John. But the people thought that John was a prophet from God. So Herod was afraid to kill him.