Jeremiah 1

1The word of God came to Jeremiah the son of Hilkiah of the priests, who lived in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin.

2The word of God came to him in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his reign.

3The word also came in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, until the eleventh year of Zedekiah the son of Josiah, king of Judah, until the captivity of Jerusalem in the fifth month.

4Thus the word of the Lord came to me, saying,

5'Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you, and before you were born, I sanctified you. I established you a prophet to the nations.'

6Then I said, 'O Lord and Master, behold, I do not know how to speak, for I am a youth.'

7But 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 shall speak.

8Do not be afraid of their faces, for I am with you to deliver you,' says the Lord.

9Then the Lord put forth His hand to me and touched my mouth; and the Lord said to me, 'Behold, I have put My words in your mouth.

10Behold, this day I am setting you over the nations and kingdoms, to root out and to pull down, to destroy, to rebuild, and to plant.'

11The word of the Lord came to me, saying, 'Jeremiah, what do you see?' So I replied, 'I see a staff made from an almond tree.'

12Then the Lord said to me, 'You see well, for I keep watch to perform the works of my words.'

13Again the word of the Lord came to me a second time, saying, 'What do you see?' Then I said, 'A boiling pot, and it is facing away from the north.'

14The Lord said to me, 'From the north, evil things will inflame all who inhabit the land.

15For behold, I will call together all the kingdoms of the land of the north,' says the Lord, 'and they shall come; and each shall set his throne at the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem, against all the walls surrounding her, and against all the cities of Judah.

16I will speak to them with judgments concerning all their vices, because they forsook Me, burned incense to foreign gods, and worshiped the works of their hands.

17As for you, gird your loins and arise, and speak to all whatever I command you. Do not be afraid of their faces nor tremble before them, for I am with you to deliver you,' says the Lord.

18'For behold, on this day I have established you as a fortified city and as a fortified bronze wall against all the kings of Judah, against its rulers, and against the people of the land.

19They will fight against you, but they shall not prevail over you, for I am with you to deliver you,' says the Lord.