Jeremiah

The book of the prophet Jeremiah, chapter 1, New English Translation and King James Version

Chapter 1 New English Translation

The Superscription

   1 The following is a record of what Jeremiah son of Hilkiah prophesied. He was one of the priests who lived at Anathoth in the territory of the tribe of Benjamin. 2 The LORD began to speak to him in the thirteenth year that Josiah son of Amon ruled over Judah. 3 The LORD also spoke to him when Jehoiakim son of Josiah ruled over Judah, and he continued to speak to him until the fifth month of the eleventh year that Zedekiah son of Josiah ruled over Judah. That was when the people of Jerusalem were taken into exile.

Jeremiah's Call and Commission

   4 The LORD said to me, 5 "Before I formed you in your mother's womb I chose you. Before you were born I set you apart. I appointed you to be a prophet to the nations."
   6 I answered, "Oh, LORD God, I really do not know how to speak well enough for that, for I am too young." 7 The LORD said to me, "Do not say, 'I am too young.' But go to whomever I send you and say whatever I tell you. 8 Do not be afraid of those to whom I send you, for I will be with you to protect you," says the LORD. 9 Then the LORD reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, "I will most assuredly give you the words you are to speak for me. 10 Know for certain that I hereby give you the authority to announce to nations and kingdoms that they will be uprooted and torn down, destroyed and demolished, rebuilt and firmly planted."

Visions Confirming Jeremiah's Call and Commission

   11 Later the LORD asked me, "What do you see, Jeremiah?" I answered, "I see a branch of an almond tree." 12 Then the LORD said, "You have observed correctly. This means I am watching to make sure my threats are carried out."
   13 The LORD again asked me, "What do you see?" I answered, "I see a pot of boiling water; it is tipped toward us from the north." 14 Then the LORD said, "This means destruction will break out from the north on all who live in the land. 15 For I will soon summon all the peoples of the kingdoms of the north," says the LORD. "They will come and their kings will set up their thrones near the entrances of the gates of Jerusalem. They will attack all the walls surrounding it, and all the towns in Judah. 16 In this way I will pass sentence on the people of Jerusalem and Judah because of all their wickedness. For they rejected me and offered sacrifices to other gods, worshiping what they made with their own hands."
   17 "But you, Jeremiah, get yourself ready! Go and tell these people everything I instruct you to say. Do not be terrified of them, or I will give you good reason to be terrified of them. 18 I, the LORD, hereby promise to make you as strong as a fortified city, an iron pillar, and a bronze wall. You will be able to stand up against all who live in the land, including the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests and all the people of the land. 19 They will attack you but they will not be able to overcome you, for I will be with you to rescue you," says the LORD.

King James Version

   1 The words of Jeremiah the son of Hilkiah, of the priests that were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin:
   2 To 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.
   3 It 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.
   4 Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
   5 Before 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.
   6 Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child.
   7 ¶ But 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.
   8 Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the LORD.
   9 Then 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.
   10 See, 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.
   11 ¶ Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Jeremiah, what seest thou? And I said, I see a rod of an almond tree.
   12 Then said the LORD unto me, Thou hast well seen: for I will hasten my word to perform it.
   13 And 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.
   14 Then the LORD said unto me, Out of the north an evil shall break forth upon all the inhabitants of the land.
   15 For, 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.
   16 And 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.
   17 ¶ Thou 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.
   18 For, 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.
   19 And they shall fight against thee; but they shall not prevail against thee; for I am with thee, saith the LORD, to deliver thee.