New International Version
Mark 6:21
21Finally the opportune time came. On his birthday Herod gave a banquet for his high officials and military commanders and the leading men 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;
- 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.
- New Living Translation (NLT)Herodias’s chance finally came on Herod’s birthday. He gave a party for his high government officials, army officers, and the leading citizens of Galilee.
Context of Mark 6:21
19So Herodias nursed a grudge against John and wanted to kill him. But she was not able to, 20because Herod feared John and protected him, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man. When Herod heard John, he was greatly puzzled; yet he liked to listen to him. 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. 22When the daughter of Herodias came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his dinner guests. The king said to the girl, “Ask me for anything you want, and I’ll give it to you.” 23And he promised her with an oath, “Whatever you ask I will give you, up to half 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 27:41Esau held a grudge against Jacob because of the blessing his father had given him. He said to himself, “The days of mourning for my father are near; then I will kill my brother Jacob.”
- 2 Samuel 13:23Two years later, when Absalom’s sheepshearers were at Baal Hazor near the border of Ephraim, he invited all the king’s sons to come there.
- Esther 3:7In the twelfth year of King Xerxes, in the first month, the month of Nisan, the pur (that is, the lot) was cast in the presence of Haman to select a day and month. And the lot fell on the twelfth month, the month of Adar.
- Psalms 37:12The wicked plot against the righteous and gnash their teeth at them;
- Acts 12:2He had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword.
- Genesis 40:20Now the third day was Pharaoh’s birthday, and he gave a feast for all his officials. He lifted up the heads of the chief cupbearer and the chief baker in the presence of his officials:
- Esther 1:3and in the third year of his reign he gave a banquet for all his nobles and officials. The military leaders of Persia and Media, the princes, and the nobles of the provinces were present.
- Esther 2:18And the king gave a great banquet, Esther’s banquet, for all his nobles and officials. He proclaimed a holiday throughout the provinces and distributed gifts with royal liberality.
- Proverbs 31:4It is not for kings, Lemuel— it is not for kings to drink wine, not for rulers to crave beer,
- Daniel 5:1King Belshazzar gave a great banquet for a thousand of his nobles and drank wine with them.
- Hosea 7:5On the day of the festival of our king the princes become inflamed with wine, and he joins hands with the mockers.
- 1 Peter 4:3For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do—living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry.
- Revelation 11:10The inhabitants of the earth will gloat over them and will celebrate by sending each other gifts, because these two prophets had tormented those who live on the 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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