Jeremiah 1
1 These are the words of Jeremiah son of Hilkiah, one of the priests living in Anathoth in the territory of Benjamin.
The word of God which came to Jeremias the [son] of Chelcias, of the priests, who lived in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin:
2 The Lord's message came to Jeremiah beginning in the thirteenth year of the reign of Josiah, son of Amon, king of Judah,
[accordingly] as the word of God came to him in the days of Josias son of Amos king of Juda, in the thirteenth year of his reign.
3 and on through the time of Jehoiakim, son of Josiah, king of Judah, up to the fifth month of the eleventh year of Zedekiah, son of Josiah, king of Judah, which was when the people of Jerusalem went into exile.
And it was in the days of Joakim, son of Josias king of Juda, until the eleventh year of Sedekias king of Juda, [even] until the captivity of Jerusalem in the fifth month.
4 The Lord came and told me,
And the word of the Lord came to him, [saying],
5 “I knew exactly who you would be before I created you in your mother's womb; I chose you before you were born to be a prophet to the nations.”
Before I formed you in the belly, I knew you; and before you came forth from the womb, I sanctified you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.
6 “Oh no, Lord God!” I replied. “I really don't know how to speak in public because I'm still too young!”
And I said, O Lord, you that are supreme Lord, behold, I know not [how] to speak, for I am a child.
7 “Don't say you're too young,” the Lord told me. “Go to everyone I send you to. Tell them everything I order you to say.
And the Lord said to me, Say not, I am a child: for you shall go to all to whoever I shall send you, and according to all [the words] that I shall command you, you shall speak.
8 Don't be afraid of them because I'll go with you and I'll look after you. This is the Lord's promise.”
Be not afraid before them: for I am with you to deliver you, says the Lord.
9 The Lord stretched out his hand, touched my mouth, and told me: “Look, I've put my words in your mouth.
And the Lord stretched forth his hand to me, and touched my mouth: and the Lord said to me, Behold, I have put my words into your mouth.
10 Today I've placed you over nations and kingdoms to pull up and tear down, to destroy and demolish, to build and plant.”
Behold, I have appointed you this day over nations and over kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to rebuild, and to plant.
11 The Lord's message came to me, asking, “Jeremiah, what can you see?” “I see a twig from an almond tree,” I answered.
And the word of the Lord came to me, saying, What see you? And I said, A rod of an almond tree.
12 “That's right, because I am watching to make sure what I say happens,” the Lord said.
And the Lord said to me, You have well seen: for I have watched over my words to perform them.
13 The Lord's message came to me again, asking, “What can you see?” “I see a pot that's boiling,” I answered, “and it's tipping in this direction from the north.”
And the word of the Lord came to me a second time, saying, What see you? And I said, A cauldron on the fire; and the face of it is towards the north.
14 Then the Lord told me, “Trouble brewing from the north will sweep out over everyone living in the country.
And the Lord said to me, From the north shall flame forth evils upon all the inhabitants of the land.
15 Watch out! I'm going to summon all the nations and kings of the north,” declares the Lord. “Each of these kings will come and set up their thrones right at the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem, and attack all its fortifications and all the towns in Judah.
For, behold, I call together all the kingdoms of the earth from the north, says the Lord; and they shall come, and shall set each one his throne at the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem, and against all the walls round about her, and against all the cities of Juda.
16 I will carry out my sentence against the inhabitants for all their wickedness, because they abandoned me to burn incense to pagan gods, to worship idols they themselves made.
And I will speak to them in judgement, concerning all their iniquity, [forasmuch] as they have forsaken me, and sacrificed to strange gods, and worshipped the works of their own hands.
17 You need to get yourself ready. You are going to stand before the people and tell them everything that I order you to say. Don't be scared by them, or I will scare you in front of them.
And do you gird up your loins, and stand up, and speak all [the words] that I shall command you: be not afraid of their face, neither be you alarmed before them; for I am with you to deliver you, says the Lord.
18 Look! Today I have made you like a fortified city, a pillar of iron, a wall of bronze to stand against the whole country—against the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests, and the people of the country.
Behold, I have made you this day as a strong city, and as a brazen wall, strong [against] all the kings of Juda, and the princes thereof, and the people of the land.
19 They will fight against you but they won't defeat you, because I'll be there to rescue you,” declares the Lord.
And they shall fight against you; but they shall by no means prevail against you; because I am with you, to deliver you, says the Lord.
