Jeremiah 1
1 The words of Jeremiah son of Hilkiah, one of the priests who lived in Anathoth, in the land of Benjamin.
2 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.
3 It also came in the days of Jehoiakim son of Josiah, king of Judah, and continued until the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah son of Josiah, king of Judah, when Jerusalem went into exile, in the fifth month.
4 The word of the LORD came to me:
5 “Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you; before you came out of the womb, I set you apart; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.”
6 Then I said, “Ah, Lord GOD! I don’t know how to speak, because I am only a boy.”
7 But the LORD said to me, “Don’t say, ‘I am only a boy,’ because you will go to everyone I send you to, and you will speak everything I command you.
8 Don’t be afraid of them, because I am with you to rescue you, declares the LORD.”
9 Then the LORD reached out his hand and touched my mouth. And the LORD said to me, “I am putting my words in your mouth.
10 Look: today I give you authority over the nations and kingdoms, to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and plant.”
11 The word of the LORD came to me: “What do you see, Jeremiah?” And I said, “I see a branch of an almond tree.”
12 The LORD said to me, “You have seen well, because I am watching over my word to carry it out.”
13 The word of the LORD came to me a second time: “What do you see?” And I said, “I see a boiling pot, tilted toward us from the north.”
14 The LORD said to me, “Disaster will break out from the north against all the people of the land.
15 Because I am calling all the clans of the kingdoms of the north, declares the LORD. They will come, and each will set up his throne at the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem, against all its surrounding walls and against all the cities of Judah.
16 I will pronounce my judgments against them because of all their wickedness: they have abandoned me, burned incense to other gods, and bowed down to the work of their own hands.
17 As for you, get ready: stand up and tell them everything I command you. Don’t be terrified of them, or I will terrify you in front of them.
18 Today I make 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.
19 They will fight against you, but they will not overcome you, because I am with you to rescue you, declares the LORD.”
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