| English Standard Version | NET Bible |
| 1The words of Jeremiah, the son of Hilkiah, one of the priests who were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin, | 1The 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. |
| 2to 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. | 2The LORD began to speak to him in the thirteenth year that Josiah son of Amon ruled over Judah. |
| 3It came also in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, and until the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah, the son of Josiah, king of Judah, until the captivity of Jerusalem in the fifth month. | 3The 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. |
| 4Now the word of the LORD came to me, saying, | 4The LORD said to me, |
| 5“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.” | 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." |
| 6Then I said, “Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, I do not know how to speak, for I am only a youth.” | 6I answered, "Oh, Lord GOD, I really do not know how to speak well enough for that, for I am too young." |
| 7But the LORD said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am only a youth’; for to all to whom I send you, you shall go, and whatever I command you, you shall speak. | 7The LORD said to me, "Do not say, 'I am too young.' But go to whomever I send you and say whatever I tell you. |
| 8Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you, declares the LORD.” | 8Do not be afraid of those to whom I send you, for I will be with you to protect you," says the LORD. |
| 9Then the LORD put out his hand and touched my mouth. And the LORD said to me, “Behold, I have put my words in your mouth. | 9Then 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. |
| 10See, I have set you this day over nations and over kingdoms, to pluck up and to break down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant.” | 10Know 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." |
| 11And the word of the LORD came to me, saying, “Jeremiah, what do you see?” And I said, “I see an almond branch.” | 11Later the LORD asked me, "What do you see, Jeremiah?" I answered, "I see a branch of an almond tree." |
| 12Then the LORD said to me, “You have seen well, for I am watching over my word to perform it.” | 12Then the LORD said, "You have observed correctly. This means I am watching to make sure my threats are carried out." |
| 13The word of the LORD came to me a second time, saying, “What do you see?” And I said, “I see a boiling pot, facing away from the north.” | 13The 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." |
| 14Then the LORD said to me, “Out of the north disaster shall be let loose upon all the inhabitants of the land. | 14Then the LORD said, "This means destruction will break out from the north on all who live in the land. |
| 15For behold, I am calling all the tribes of the kingdoms of the north, declares the LORD, and they shall come, and every one shall set his throne at the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem, against all its walls all around and against all the cities of Judah. | 15For 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. |
| 16And I will declare my judgments against them, for all their evil in forsaking me. They have made offerings to other gods and worshiped the works of their own hands. | 16In 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." |
| 17But you, dress yourself for work; arise, and say to them everything that I command you. Do not be dismayed by them, lest I dismay you before them. | 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. |
| 18And I, behold, I make you this day 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. | 18I, 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. |
| 19They will fight against you, but they shall not prevail against you, for I am with you, declares the LORD, to deliver you.” | 19They will attack you but they will not be able to overcome you, for I will be with you to rescue you," says the LORD. |
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