1 T hese are the words of Jeremiah, the son of Hilkiah, one of the religious leaders at 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 he Word of the Lord came to Jeremiah in the days of Josiah, the son of Amon, king of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his rule.

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, until the fifth month of the eleventh year of Zedekiah, the son of Josiah, king of Judah, when the people of Jerusalem were taken away.

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 N ow the Word of the Lord came to me saying,

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

5 “ Before I started to put you together in your mother, I knew you. Before you were born, I set you apart as holy. I chose you to speak to the nations for Me.”

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 I said, “O, Lord God! I do not know how to speak. I am only a boy.”

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

7 B ut the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am only a boy.’ You must go everywhere I send you. And you must say whatever I tell you.

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 D o not be afraid of them. For I am with you to take you out of trouble,” says the Lord.

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

9 T hen the Lord put out His hand and touched my mouth, and said to me, “See, I have put My words in your 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 I have chosen you this day to be over the nations and the kings, to dig up and to pull down, 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 A nd the Word of the Lord came to me saying, “What do you see, Jeremiah?” I said, “I see a branch 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 the Lord said to me, “You have seen well, for I am watching to see that My Word is completed.”

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

13 T he Word of the Lord came to me a second time saying, “What do you see?” And I said, “I see a boiling pot, with its face turned away from 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 to me, “Out of the north trouble will come upon all the people 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, see, I am calling all the families of the nations of the north,” says the Lord. “And they will come. Then every one will set up his throne at the gates of Jerusalem, and against all the walls around it, 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 tell how they are to be punished for all their sin. For they have turned away from Me and have given gifts to other gods, and worshiped 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 N ow get ready. Stand up and tell them everything that I tell you. Do not be afraid of them, or I will make trouble for you in front of 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 T oday I have made you as a strong city ready for war, as a pillar of iron and as walls of brass against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, the rulers, its religious leaders, and 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 will fight against you. But they will not have power over you, for I am with you to take you out of trouble,” says the Lord.

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