For John had been saying to him, “It is not lawful for yoʋ to have her.”
For John said unto him, It is not lawful for thee to have her.
For John had said to him, It is not lawful or right for you to have her. [Lev. 18:16; 20:21.]
That’s because John told Herod, “It’s against the law for you to marry her.”
For John was telling him, "It is not lawful for you to have her."
For John said to him: It is not lawful for thee to have her.
For John had been saying to Herod, “It is not lawful for yoʋ to have yoʋr brother's wife.”