Jeremiah 1:7-19

New International Version

⁷But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am too young.’ You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. ⁸Do not be afraid^(A) of them, for I am with you^(B) and will rescue^(C) you,” declares the Lord.^(D)

⁹Then the Lord reached out his hand and touched^(E) my mouth and said to me, “I have put my words in your mouth.^(F) ¹⁰See, today I appoint you over nations^(G) and kingdoms to uproot^(H) and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant.”^(I)

¹¹The word of the Lord came to me: “What do you see, Jeremiah?”^(J)

“I see the branch of an almond tree,” I replied.

¹²The Lord said to me, “You have seen correctly, for I am watching^[a]^(K) to see that my word is fulfilled.”

¹³The word of the Lord came to me again: “What do you see?”^(L)

“I see a pot that is boiling,” I answered. “It is tilting toward us from the north.”

¹⁴The Lord said to me, “From the north^(M) disaster will be poured out on all who live in the land. ¹⁵I am about to summon all the peoples of the northern kingdoms,” declares the Lord.

“Their kings will come and set up their thrones
    in the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem;
they will come against all her surrounding walls
    and against all the towns of Judah.^(N)
¹⁶I will pronounce my judgments^(O) on my people
    because of their wickedness^(P) in forsaking me,^(Q)
in burning incense to other gods^(R)
    and in worshiping^(S) what their hands have made.^(T)

¹⁷“Get yourself ready! Stand up and say^(U) to them whatever I command you. Do not be terrified^(V) by them, or I will terrify you before them. ¹⁸Today I have made you^(W) a fortified city, an iron pillar and a bronze wall to stand against the whole land—against the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests and the people of the land. ¹⁹They will fight against you but will not overcome^(X) you, for I am with you^(Y) and will rescue^(Z) you,” declares the Lord.

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Footnotes

Jeremiah 1:12 The Hebrew for watching sounds like the Hebrew for almond tree.

Jeremiah 15:15-21

New International Version

¹⁵Lord, you understand;
    remember me and care for me.
    Avenge me on my persecutors.^(A)
You are long-suffering^(B)—do not take me away;
    think of how I suffer reproach for your sake.^(C)
¹⁶When your words came, I ate^(D) them;
    they were my joy and my heart’s delight,^(E)
for I bear your name,^(F)
    Lord God Almighty.
¹⁷I never sat^(G) in the company of revelers,
    never made merry with them;
I sat alone because your hand^(H) was on me
    and you had filled me with indignation.
¹⁸Why is my pain unending
    and my wound grievous and incurable?^(I)
You are to me like a deceptive brook,
    like a spring that fails.^(J)

¹⁹Therefore this is what the Lord says:

“If you repent, I will restore you
    that you may serve^(K) me;
if you utter worthy, not worthless, words,
    you will be my spokesman.^(L)
Let this people turn to you,
    but you must not turn to them.
²⁰I will make you a wall^(M) to this people,
    a fortified wall of bronze;
they will fight against you
    but will not overcome^(N) you,
for I am with you
    to rescue and save you,”^(O)
declares the Lord.
²¹“I will save^(P) you from the hands of the wicked^(Q)
    and deliver^(R) you from the grasp of the cruel.”^(S)