< Jeremias 1 >
1 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 [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 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 And the word of the Lord came to him, [saying],
5 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 And I said, O Lord, you that are supreme Lord, behold, I know not [how] to speak, for I am a child.
7 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 Be not afraid before them: for I am with you to deliver you, says the Lord.
9 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 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 And the word of the Lord came to me, saying, What see you? And I said, A rod of an almond tree.
12 And the Lord said to me, You have well seen: for I have watched over my words to perform them.
13 And the word of the Lord came to me a second time, saying, What see you? And I said, A caldron on the fire; and the face of it is toward the north.
14 And the Lord said to me, From the north shall flame forth evils upon all the inhabitants of the land.
15 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 And I will speak to them in judgment, concerning all their iniquity, [forasmuch] as they have forsaken me, and sacrificed to strange gods, and worshipped the works of their own hands.
17 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 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 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.
