Matthew 14:12 is the twelfth verse in the fourteenth chapter of the Gospel of Matthew in the New Testament. It refers to the death of John the Baptist and the burial of his body. Content In the original Greek according to Westcott-Hort, this verse is: Καὶ προσελθόντες οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ ἦραν τὸ σῶμα, καὶ ἔθαψαν αὐτό· καὶ ἐλθόντες ἀπήγγειλαν τῷ Ἰησοῦ. In the King James Version of the Bible, the text reads: And his disciples came, and took up the body, and buried it, and went and told Jesus. Although the Greek text refers to "οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ", ("his disciples"), the New International Version adds John's name, translating the passage as: John's disciples came and took his body and buried it. Then they went and told Jesus. Analysis Robert Witham and John McEvilly both note that John's disciples seemingly had access to the prison where he was executed, known from the writings of the historian Josephus to have been Machaerus prison, or some influence to obtain the body. Commentary from the Church Fathers Glossa Ordinaria: "The Evangelist having related John’s imprisonment, proceeds to his putting to death, saying, But on Herod’s birthday, the daughter of Herodias danced in the midst." Jerome: "We find no others keeping their birthday besides Herod and Pharaoh, that they who were alike in their wickedness might be alike in their festivities." Saint Remigius: "It should be known that it is customary not for rich only but for poor mothers also, to educate their daughters so chastely, that they are scarce so much as seen by strangers. But this unchaste woman had so brought up her daughter after the same manner, that she had taught her not chastity but dancing. Nor is Herod to be less blamed who forgot that his was a royal palace, but this woman made it a theatre; And it pleased Herod, so that he swore with an oath that he would give her whatsoever she should ask of him." Jerome: "I do not excuse Herod that he committed this murder against his will by reason of his oath, for perhaps he took the oath for the very purpose of bringing about the murder. But if he says that he did it for his oath’s sake, had she asked the death of her mother, or her father, would he have granted it or not? What then he would have refused in his