God’s Word Translation
Mark 6:21
21An opportunity finally came on Herod’s birthday. Herod gave a dinner for his top officials, army officers, and the most important people of Galilee.
Mark 6:21 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And when a convenient day was come, that Herod on his birthday made a supper to his lords, high captains, and chief estates of Galilee;
- New International Version (NIV)Finally the opportune time came. On his birthday Herod gave a banquet for his high officials and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee.
- English Standard Version (ESV)But an opportunity came when Herod on his birthday gave a banquet for his nobles and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then an opportune day came when Herod on his birthday gave a feast for his nobles, the high officers, and the chief men of Galilee.
Context of Mark 6:21
19So Herodias held a grudge against John and wanted to kill him. But she wasn’t allowed to do it 20because Herod was afraid of John. Herod knew that John was a fair and holy man, so he protected him. When he listened to John, he would become very disturbed, and yet he liked to listen to him. An opportunity finally came on Herod’s birthday. Herod gave a dinner for his top officials, army officers, and the most important people of Galilee. 22His daughter, that is, Herodias’ daughter, came in and danced. Herod and his guests were delighted with her. The king told the girl, “Ask me for anything you want, and I’ll give it to you.” 23He swore an oath to her: “I’ll give you anything you ask for, up to half of my kingdom.”
Read all of Mark 6Mark 6:21 word by word
Καὶ γενομένης ἡμέρας εὐκαίρου ὅτε Ἡρῴδης τοῖς γενεσίοις αὐτοῦ δεῖπνον ἐποίησεν τοῖς μεγιστᾶσιν αὐτοῦ καὶ τοῖς χιλιάρχοις καὶ τοῖς πρώτοις τῆς ΓαλιλαίαςRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Andκαίkai · andG2532
- whenὅτεhote ho te hē te tō te · whenG3753
- a convenientεὔκαιροςeukairos · opportuneG2121
- dayἡμέραhēmera · dayG2250
- was comeγίνομαιginomai · to beG1096
- that HerodἩρώδηςHērōdēs · HerodG2264
- on hisαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- birthdayὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- birthdayγενέσια, γενέθλιοςgenesia · birthdayG1077
- madeποιέωpoieō · to do/make: doG4160
- a supperδεῖπνονdeipnon · dinnerG1173
- lordsμεγιστάνmegistanes · great manG3175
- high captainsχιλίαρχοςchiliarchos · military officerG5506
- chiefπρῶτοςprōtos · first: chiefG4413
- of GalileeΓαλιλαίαGalilaia · GalileeG1056
Cross-references for Mark 6:21
- Genesis 27:41So Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing that his father had given him. Esau said to himself, “The time to mourn for my father is near. Then I’ll kill my brother Jacob.”
- 2 Samuel 13:23Two years later Absalom had sheepshearers at Baal Hazor near Ephraim. He invited all the king’s sons.
- Esther 3:7In Xerxes’ twelfth year as king, Pur (which means the lot) was thrown in front of Haman for every day of every month, from Nisan, the first month, until Adar, the twelfth month.
- Psalms 37:12The wicked person plots against a righteous one and grits his teeth at him.
- Acts 12:2He had James, the brother of John, executed.
- Genesis 40:20Two days later, on his birthday, Pharaoh had a special dinner prepared for all his servants. Of all his servants he gave special attention to the chief cupbearer and the chief baker.
- Esther 1:3he held a banquet in the third year of his reign. The banquet was for all his officials and advisers, that is, the military officers of the Persians and Medes, the nobles and officials of the provinces who had access to him.
- Esther 2:18Then the king held a great banquet for Esther. He invited all his officials and his advisers. He also declared that day a holiday in the provinces, and he handed out gifts from his royal generosity.
- Proverbs 31:4“It is not for kings, Lemuel. It is not for kings to drink wine or for rulers to crave liquor.
- Daniel 5:1King Belshazzar threw a large banquet for 1,000 nobles and drank wine with them.
- Hosea 7:5On the day of the king’s celebration, the officials become drunk from wine, and the king joins mockers.
- 1 Peter 4:3You spent enough time in the past doing what unbelievers like to do. You were promiscuous, had sinful desires, got drunk, went to wild parties, and took part in the forbidden worship of false gods.
- Revelation 11:10Those living on earth will gloat over the witnesses’ death. They will celebrate and send gifts to each other because these two prophets had tormented those living on earth.
Commentaries on Mark 6:21
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 21Lords - , probably governors of particular districts. High captains - ; literally, chiefs or captains over a thousand men, military chiefs. Chief estates - ; probably such as might be called nobles by title only, having no office civil or military; probably magistrates. See Kypke an the place.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 14-29Verses 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 now for faithfulness, than…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 19-28Herodias's role in John the Baptist's murder is similar to the story of Jezebel (1 Kings 19:1–2). Like Jezebel, she pushed for the death of a prophet. Herod gave in to pressure (Mark 6:26–28). This points ahead to what Pontius Pilate later did. Pilate ordered that Jesus be put to death even though he believed Jesus was innocent (compare 6:20, 25–28 with 15:6–15).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2121. And when a convenient day--for the purposes of Herodias. was come, that Herod--rather, "A convenient day being come, when Herod." on his birthday, made a supper to his lords, high captains, and chief estates of Galilee--This graphic minuteness of detail adds much to the interest of the tragic narrative.Read the comment
Topics related to Mark 6:21
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Mark 6
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Catena Aurea
- Illustrated New Testament
- Burkitt’s Expository Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Family Bible Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- John Lightfoot Commentary
- Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- The People’s New Testament
- Robertson’s Word Pictures
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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