Jeremiah 1

1 The words of Jeremiah the son of Hilkiah, of the priests who were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin,2 to whom the word of the Lord came in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his reign.3 It came also in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, until the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah the son of Josiah, king of Judah, until the carrying away of Jerusalem captive in the fifth month.

The Prophet is Called

4 Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying:5 Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations.6 Then said I: Ah, Lord God! Behold, I cannot speak, for I am a youth.7 But the Lord said to me: Do not say, I am a youth, For you shall go to all to whom I send you, And whatever I command you, you shall speak.8 Do not be afraid of their faces, For I am with you to deliver you, says the Lord.9 Then the Lord put forth His hand and touched my mouth, and the Lord said to me: Behold, I have put My words in your mouth.10 See, I have this day set you over the nations and over the kingdoms, To root out and to pull down, To destroy and to throw down, To build and to plant.11 Moreover the word of the Lord came to me, saying, Jeremiah, what do you see? And I said, I see a branch of an almond tree.12 Then the Lord said to me, You have seen well, for I am ready to perform My word.13 And the word of the Lord came to me the second time, saying, What do you see? And I said, I see a boiling pot, and it is facing away from the north.14 Then the Lord said to me: Out of the north calamity shall break forth On all the inhabitants of the land.15 For behold, I am calling All the families of the kingdoms of the north, says the Lord; They shall come and each one set his throne At the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem, Against all its walls all around, And against all the cities of Judah.16 I will utter My judgments Against them concerning all their wickedness, Because they have forsaken Me, Burned incense to other gods, And worshiped the works of their own hands.17 Therefore prepare yourself and arise, And speak to them all that I command you. Do not be dismayed before their faces, Lest I dismay you before them.18 For behold, I have made you this day A fortified city and an iron pillar, And bronze walls against the whole land Against the kings of Judah, Against its princes, Against its priests, And against the people of the land.19 They will fight against you, But they shall not prevail against you. For I am with you, says the Lord, to deliver you.

JEREMIAH 1

1 My name is Jeremiah. I am a priest, and my father Hilkiah and everyone else in my family are from Anathoth in the territory of the Benjamin tribe. This book contains the things that the [Lord] told me to say. 2 t The [Lord] first spoke to me in the thirteenth year that Josiaht was king of Judah,

3 t and he continued to speak to me during the rule of Josiah's son Jehoiakim.t The last time the [Lord] spoke to me was in the fifth montht of the eleventh year that Josiah's son Zedekiaht was king. That was also when the people of Jerusalem were taken away as prisoners.

The [Lord] Chooses Jeremiah

4 The [Lord] said:

5 “Jeremiah, I am your Creator,
and before you were born,
I chose you to speak for me
to the nations.”

6 I replied, “I'm not a good speaker, [Lord], and I'm too young.”
7 “Don't say you're too young,” the [Lord] answered. “If I tell you to go and speak to someone, then go! And when I tell you what to say, don't leave out a word!

8 I promise to be with you and keep you safe, so don't be afraid.”
9 The [Lord] reached out his hand, then he touched my mouth and said, “I am giving you the words to say,

10 and I am sending you with authority to speak to the nations for me. You will tell them of doom and destruction, and of rising and rebuilding again.”

11 The [Lord] showed me something in a vision. Then he asked, “What do you see, Jeremiah?”
I answered, “A branch of almonds that ripen early.”

12 “That's right,” the [Lord] replied, “and I always rise earlyt to keep a promise.”

13 Then the [Lord] showed me something else and asked, “What do you see now?”
I answered, “I see a pot of boiling water in the north, and it's about to spill out toward us.”

14 The [Lord] said:
I will pour out destruction
all over the land.

15 Just watch while I send
for the kings of the north.
They will attack and capture
Jerusalem and other towns,
then set up their thrones
at the gates of Jerusalem.

16 I will punish my people,
because they are guilty
of turning from me
to worship idols.

17 Jeremiah, get ready!
Go and tell the people
what I command you to say.
Don't be frightened by them,
or I will make you terrified
while they watch.

18 My power will make you strong
like a fortress
or a column of iron
or a wall of bronze.
You will oppose all of Judah,
including its kings and leaders,
its priests and people.

19 They will fight back,
but they won't win.
I, the [Lord], give my word—
I won't let them harm you.