Jeremiah 1:1-10

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.

2The Lord began to speak to him in the thirteenth year that Josiah son of Amon ruled over Judah.

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.

4The 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.”

6I answered, “Oh, Lord God, I really do not know how to speak well enough for that, for I am too young.”

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 those to whom I send you, for I will be with you to protect you,” says the Lord.

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.

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.”