Jeremiah 1

The words of Jeremiah son of Hilkiah, one of the priests in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin. The word of the LORD came to him in the days of Josiah son of Amon, king of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his reign. It also came in the days of Jehoiakim son of Josiah, king of Judah, until the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah son of Josiah, king of Judah, when Jerusalem went into exile in the fifth month. The word of the LORD came to me: “Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you;
before you were born, I consecrated you.
I appointed you a prophet to the nations.” Then I said, “Ah, Lord GOD! I do not know how to speak, for I am a youth.” But the LORD said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am a youth,’ for you must go to everyone to whom I send you and speak whatever I command you. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you,” declares the LORD. Then the LORD reached out his hand and touched my mouth. The LORD said to me, “Look, I have put my words in your mouth. See, today I have appointed you over nations and kingdoms, to uproot and tear down, to destroy and demolish, to build and to plant.” The word of the LORD came to me: “What do you see, Jeremiah?” I said, “I see an almond branch.” The LORD said to me, “You have seen well, for I am watching over my word to carry it out.” The word of the LORD came to me a second time: “What do you see?” I said, “I see a boiling pot, tilted away from the north.” Then the LORD said to me, “From the north disaster will break loose upon all who live in the land. For I am calling all the clans of the northern kingdoms,” declares the LORD. “They will come, and each will set his throne at the entrance to Jerusalem’s gates, against all its surrounding walls and against all the cities of Judah. I will pronounce my judgments against them for all their wickedness: they have forsaken me, burned incense to other gods, and bowed down to the work of their own hands. But you, gird your waist, stand up, and tell them everything I command you. Do not be dismayed before them, or I will make you dismayed before them. Look, today I have made you a fortified city, an iron pillar, and bronze walls against the whole land—against the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests, and the people of the land. They will fight against you, but they will not prevail over you, for I am with you,” declares the LORD, “to deliver you.”

Rights and attribution