| New King James Version | New Living Translation |
| 1The words of Jeremiah the son of Hilkiah, of the priests who were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin, | 1These are the words of Jeremiah son of Hilkiah, one of the priests from the town of Anathoth in the land 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 first gave messages to Jeremiah during the thirteenth year of the reign of Josiah son of Amon, king of Judah. |
| 3It came also in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, until the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah the son of Josiah, king of Judah, until the carrying away of Jerusalem captive in the fifth month. | 3The LORD’s messages continued throughout the reign of King Jehoiakim, Josiah’s son, until the eleventh year of the reign of King Zedekiah, another of Josiah’s sons. In August of that eleventh year the people of Jerusalem were taken away as captives. Jeremiah’s Call and First Visions |
| 4Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying: | 4The LORD gave me this message: |
| 5“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations.” | 5“I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb. Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as my prophet to the nations.” |
| 6Then said I: “Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, I cannot speak, for I am a youth.” | 6“O Sovereign LORD,” I said, “I can’t speak for you! I’m too young!” |
| 7But the LORD said to me: “Do not say, ‘I am a youth,’ For you shall go to all to whom I send you, And whatever I command you, you shall speak. | 7The LORD replied, “Don’t say, ‘I’m too young,’ for you must go wherever I send you and say whatever I tell you. |
| 8Do not be afraid of their faces, For I am with you to deliver you,” says the LORD. | 8And don’t be afraid of the people, for I will be with you and will protect you. I, the LORD, have spoken!” |
| 9Then the LORD put forth 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 and touched my mouth and said, “Look, I have put my words in your mouth! |
| 10See, I have this day set you over the nations and over the kingdoms, To root out and to pull down, To destroy and to throw down, To build and to plant.” | 10Today I appoint you to stand up against nations and kingdoms. Some you must uproot and tear down, destroy and overthrow. Others you must build up and plant.” |
| 11Moreover the word of the LORD came to me, saying, “Jeremiah, what do you see?” And I said, “I see a branch of an almond tree.” | 11Then the LORD said to me, “Look, Jeremiah! What do you see?” And I replied, “I see a branch from an almond tree.” |
| 12Then the LORD said to me, “You have seen well, for I am ready to perform My word.” | 12And the LORD said, “That’s right, and it means that I am watching, and I will certainly carry out all my plans.” |
| 13And the word of the LORD came to me the second time, saying, “What do you see?” And I said, “I see a boiling pot, and it is facing away from the north.” | 13Then the LORD spoke to me again and asked, “What do you see now?” And I replied, “I see a pot of boiling water, spilling from the north.” |
| 14Then the LORD said to me: “Out of the north calamity shall break forth On all the inhabitants of the land. | 14“Yes,” the LORD said, “for terror from the north will boil out on the people of this land. |
| 15For behold, I am calling All the families of the kingdoms of the north,” says the LORD; “They shall come and each one set his throne At the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem, Against all its walls all around, And against all the cities of Judah. | 15Listen! I am calling the armies of the kingdoms of the north to come to Jerusalem. I, the LORD, have spoken! “They will set their thrones at the gates of the city. They will attack its walls and all the other towns of Judah. |
| 16I will utter My judgments Against them concerning all their wickedness, Because they have forsaken Me, Burned incense to other gods, And worshiped the works of their own hands. | 16I will pronounce judgment on my people for all their evil— for deserting me and burning incense to other gods. Yes, they worship idols made with their own hands! |
| 17“Therefore prepare yourself and arise, And speak to them all that I command you. Do not be dismayed before their faces, Lest I dismay you before them. | 17“Get up and prepare for action. Go out and tell them everything I tell you to say. Do not be afraid of them, or I will make you look foolish in front of them. |
| 18For behold, I have made you this day A fortified city and an iron pillar, And bronze walls against the whole land— Against the kings of Judah, Against its princes, Against its priests, And against the people of the land. | 18For see, today I have made you strong like a fortified city that cannot be captured, like an iron pillar or a bronze wall. You will stand against the whole land— the kings, officials, priests, and people of Judah. |
| 19They will fight against you, But they shall not prevail against you. For I am with you,” says the LORD, “to deliver you.” | 19They will fight you, but they will fail. For I am with you, and I will take care of you. I, the LORD, have spoken!” |
| The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved. | Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. |
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