1 T he words of Jeremiah the son of Hilkiah, one of the priests who were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin.

These are the words of Jeremiah, the son of Hilkiah, one of the religious leaders at Anathoth in the land of Benjamin.

2 Y ahweh’s word came to him in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his reign.

The 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.

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

It 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.

4 N ow Yahweh’s word came to me, saying,

Now the Word of the Lord came to me saying,

5 “ Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you. Before you were born, I sanctified you. I have appointed you a prophet to the nations.”

“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.”

6 T hen I said, “Ah, Lord Yahweh! Behold, I don’t know how to speak; for I am a child.”

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

7 B ut Yahweh said to me, “Don’t say, ‘I am a child;’ for you must go to whomever I send you, and you must say whatever I command you.

But 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.

8 D on’t be afraid because of them, for I am with you to rescue you,” says Yahweh.

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

9 T hen Yahweh stretched out his hand, and touched my mouth. Then Yahweh said to me, “Behold, I have put my words in your mouth.

Then the Lord put out His hand and touched my mouth, and said to me, “See, I have put My words in your mouth.

10 B ehold, I have today set you over the nations and over the kingdoms, to uproot and to tear down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant.”

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.”

11 M oreover Yahweh’s word came to me, saying, “Jeremiah, what do you see?” I said, “I see a branch of an almond tree.”

And the Word of the Lord came to me saying, “What do you see, Jeremiah?” I said, “I see a branch of an almond tree.”

12 T hen Yahweh said to me, “You have seen well; for I watch over my word to perform it.”

Then the Lord said to me, “You have seen well, for I am watching to see that My Word is completed.”

13 Y ahweh’s word came to me the second time, saying, “What do you see?” I said, “I see a boiling cauldron; and it is tipping away from the north.”

The 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.”

14 T hen Yahweh said to me, “Out of the north, evil will break out on all the inhabitants of the land.

Then the Lord said to me, “Out of the north trouble will come upon all the people of the land.

15 F or, behold, I will call all the families of the kingdoms of the north,” says Yahweh. “They will come, and they will each set his throne at the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem, and against all its walls all around, and against all the cities of Judah.

For, 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.

16 I will utter my judgments against them concerning all their wickedness, in that they have forsaken me, and have burned incense to other gods, and worshiped the works of their own hands.

And 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.

17 “ You therefore put your belt on your waist, arise, and say to them all that I command you. Don’t be dismayed at them, lest I dismay you before them.

Now 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.

18 F or, behold, I have made you today a fortified city, 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.

Today 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.

19 T hey will fight against you, but they will not prevail against you; for I am with you”, says Yahweh, “to rescue you.”

And 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.