JeremiahChapter 1

Tap any verse to comment or suggest a better wording.

¹These are the words of Jeremiah son of Hilkiah. He was one of the priests in Anathoth, in the land of Benjamin. ²The word of the LORD came to Jeremiah in the thirteenth year that Josiah son of Amon was king of Judah. ³It kept coming through the days of Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah. It came until the fifth month of the eleventh year of Zedekiah son of Josiah king of Judah. That was when the people of Jerusalem were taken away into exile. ⁴The word of the LORD came to me. He said, ⁵"Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you. Before you were born, I set you apart. I appointed you to be a prophet to the nations." ⁶"Oh, Lord GOD," I said, "I really don't know how to speak. I'm only a child!" ⁷But the LORD told me, "Do not say, 'I am only a child.' For you must go to everyone I send you to. You must say everything I command you. ⁸Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to rescue you," declares the LORD. ⁹Then the LORD reached out his hand and touched my mouth. He said to me, "Look, I have put my words in your mouth. ¹⁰See, today I have put you in charge of nations and kingdoms. You will pull up and tear down. You will destroy and overthrow. You will build and plant." ¹¹The word of the LORD came to me again. He asked, "Jeremiah, what do you see?" "I see a branch of an almond tree," I answered. ¹²"You have seen correctly," said the LORD. "For I am watching over my word to make it happen."a ¹³The word of the LORD came to me again. He asked, "What do you see?" "I see a pot that is boiling," I answered. "It is tipping toward us from the north." ¹⁴Then the LORD said to me, "Disaster will pour out from the north on everyone who lives in the land. ¹⁵For I am about to call all the clans and kingdoms of the north," declares the LORD. "Their kings will come and set up their thrones at the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem. They will attack all the walls around her and all the other cities of Judah. ¹⁶I will announce my judgments against them for all their evil. It is because they have turned away from me. They have burned incense to other gods. They have worshiped things their own hands made. ¹⁷Get yourself ready! Stand up and tell them everything I command you. Do not be scared of them, or I will make you terrified in front of them. ¹⁸Look, today I have made you like a strong walled city, an iron pillar, and bronze walls. You will stand against the whole land. You will stand against the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests, and the people of the land. ¹⁹They will fight against you, but they will never defeat you. For I am with you to rescue you," declares the LORD.