(KJV) Jeremiah 1¹

⥃The Call of Jeremiah

[1] The words² of Jeremiah the son of Hilkiah, of the priests³ that [were] in Anathoth⁴ in the land of Benjamin: [2] To whom the word⁵ of the Lord came in the days⁶ of Josiah the son of Amon king of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his reign. [3] It came also⁷ in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, unto the end⁸ of the eleventh year of Zedekiah the son of Josiah king of Judah, unto the carrying away of Jerusalem captive in the fifth⁹ month. [4] Then the word¹⁰ of the Lord came unto me, saying, [5] Before I¹¹ formed thee in the belly I knew¹² thee; and before¹³ thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, [and] I ordained¹⁴ thee a prophet unto the nations. [6] Then said I, Ah, Lord¹⁵ God! behold, I cannot¹⁶ speak: for I [am¹⁷] a child.

[7] [¶]But the Lord said unto me, Say not, I [am] a child: for thou shalt¹⁸ go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak. [8] Be not afraid¹⁹ of their faces: for I [am²⁰] with thee to deliver thee, saith the Lord. [9] Then the Lord put forth his hand, and touched²¹ my mouth. And the Lord said unto me, Behold²², I have put my words in thy mouth. [10] See, I have²³ this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out²⁴, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build²⁵, and to plant.

[11] Moreover the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Jeremiah, what seest thou²⁶? And I said, I see a rod²⁷ of an almond tree. [12] Then said the Lord unto me, Thou hast²⁸ well seen: for I will²⁹ hasten my word to perform it. [13] And the word of the Lord came unto me the second time³⁰, saying, What seest thou? And I said, I see³¹ a seething pot; and the face thereof [is] toward the north³². [14] Then the Lord said unto me, Out of³³ the north an evil shall break forth³⁴ upon all the inhabitants of the land. [15] For, lo, I will call³⁵ all the families of the kingdoms of the north, saith the Lord; and they³⁶ shall come, and they shall set every one his throne at the entering of the gates of Jerusalem, and against³⁷ all the walls thereof round about, and against all the cities of Judah. [16] And I³⁸ will utter my judgments against them touching all their wickedness, who have³⁹ forsaken me, and have⁴⁰ burned incense unto other gods, and worshipped⁴¹ the works of their own hands.

[17] [¶]Thou therefore gird up⁴² thy loins, and arise, and speak⁴³ unto them all that I command thee: be not⁴⁴ dismayed at their faces, lest I confound thee⁴⁵ before them. [18] For, behold, I have⁴⁶ made thee this day a defenced city, and an iron pillar, and brasen walls against⁴⁷ 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 they⁴⁸ shall fight against thee; but they shall not prevail against thee; for I [am⁴⁹] with thee, saith the Lord, to deliver thee.