1 T he words of Jeremiah the son of Hilkiah, of the priests that were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin:

The words of Jeremiah son of Hilkiah, of the priests who were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin,

2 T o 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.

To whom the word of the Lord came in the days of Josiah son of Amon king of Judah in the thirteenth year of his reign.

3 I t came also in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, unto the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah the son of Josiah king of Judah, unto the carrying away of Jerusalem captive in the fifth month.

It came also 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, until the carrying away of Jerusalem into captivity in the fifth month.

4 T hen the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,

Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying,

5 B efore I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.

Before I formed you in the womb I knew approved of you, and before you were born I separated and set you apart, consecrating you; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.

6 T hen said I, Ah, Lord God! behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child.

Then said I, Ah, Lord God! Behold, I cannot speak, for I am only a youth.

7 B ut the Lord said unto me, Say not, I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak.

But the Lord said to me, Say not, I am only a youth; for you shall go to all to whom I shall send you, and whatever I command you, you shall speak.

8 B e not afraid of their faces: for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the Lord.

Be not afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you, says the Lord.

9 T hen the Lord put forth his hand, and touched my mouth. And the Lord said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth.

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 S ee, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build, and to plant.

See, I have this day appointed you to the oversight of the nations and of the kingdoms to root out and pull down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant.

11 M oreover the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Jeremiah, what seest thou? And I said, I see a rod of an almond tree.

Moreover, the word of the Lord came to me, saying, Jeremiah, what do you see? And I said, I see a branch or shoot of an almond tree.

12 T hen said the Lord unto me, Thou hast well seen: for I will hasten my word to perform it.

Then said the Lord to me, You have seen well, for I am alert and active, watching over My word to perform it.

13 A nd the word of the Lord came unto me the second time, saying, What seest thou? And I said, I see a seething pot; and the face thereof is toward the north.

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 the face of it is from the north.

14 T hen the Lord said unto me, Out of the north an evil shall break forth upon all the inhabitants of the land.

Then the Lord said to me, Out of the north the evil shall disclose itself and break forth upon all the inhabitants of the land.

15 F or, lo, I will call all the families of the kingdoms of the north, saith the Lord; and they shall come, and they shall set every one his throne at the entering of the gates of Jerusalem, and against all the walls thereof round about, and against all the cities of Judah.

For, behold, I will call all the tribes of the kingdoms of the north, says the Lord; and they will come and set every one his throne at the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem, against all its walls round about, and against all the cities of Judah.

16 A nd I will utter my judgments against them touching all their wickedness, who have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other gods, and worshipped the works of their own hands.

And I will utter My judgments against them for all the wickedness of those who have forsaken Me, burned incense to other gods, and worshiped the works of their own hands.

17 T hou therefore gird up thy loins, and arise, and speak unto them all that I command thee: be not dismayed at their faces, lest I confound thee before them.

But you, gird up your loins! Arise and tell them all that I command you. Do not be dismayed and break down at the sight of their faces, lest I confound you before them and permit you to be overcome.

18 F or, behold, I have made thee this day a defenced city, and an iron pillar, and brasen walls against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, against the princes thereof, against the priests thereof, and against the people of the land.

For I, 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 A nd they shall fight against thee; but they shall not prevail against thee; for I am with thee, saith the Lord, to deliver thee.

And they shall fight against you, but they shall not prevail against you, for I am with you, says the Lord, to deliver you.