The Call of Jeremiah

The word of the Lord came to me:

I chose you before I formed you in the womb;
I set you apart before you were born.(A)
I appointed you a prophet to the nations.(B)

But I protested, “Oh no, Lord God! Look, I don’t know how to speak(C) since I am only a youth.”(D)

Then the Lord said to me:

Do not say, “I am only a youth,”(E)
for you will go to everyone I send you to
and speak whatever I tell you.(F)
Do not be afraid of anyone,(G)
for I will be with you to rescue you.(H)
This is the Lord’s declaration.

Then the Lord reached out his hand, touched my mouth,(I) and told me:

I have now filled your mouth with my words.(J)
10 See, I have appointed you today
over nations and kingdoms
to uproot and tear down,
to destroy and demolish,(K)
to build and plant.(L)

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The Call of Jeremiah

The word of the Lord came to me, saying,

“Before I formed you in the womb(A) I knew[a](B) you,
    before you were born(C) I set you apart;(D)
    I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.(E)

“Alas, Sovereign Lord,” I said, “I do not know how to speak;(F) I am too young.”(G)

But 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. Do not be afraid(H) of them, for I am with you(I) and will rescue(J) you,” declares the Lord.(K)

Then the Lord reached out his hand and touched(L) my mouth and said to me, “I have put my words in your mouth.(M) 10 See, today I appoint you over nations(N) and kingdoms to uproot(O) and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant.”(P)

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 1:5 Or chose

Love: The Superior Way

13 If I speak human or angelic tongues[a] but do not have love,(A) I am a noisy gong(B) or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy(C) and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith so that I can move mountains(D) but do not have love, I am nothing. And if I give away all my possessions, and if I give over my body in order to boast[b] but do not have love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient,(E) love is kind. Love does not envy,(F) is not boastful, is not arrogant,(G) is not rude, is not self-seeking,(H) is not irritable,(I) and does not keep a record of wrongs. Love finds no joy in unrighteousness but rejoices in the truth.(J) It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures(K) all things.

Love never ends.(L) But as for prophecies, they will come to an end; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will come to an end. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part, 10 but when the perfect comes, the partial will come to an end. 11 When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put aside childish things. 12 For now we see only a reflection[c] as in a mirror, but then face to face.(M) Now I know in part, but then I will know fully,(N) as I am fully known.(O) 13 Now these three remain: faith, hope,(P) and love—but the greatest of these is love.

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Footnotes

  1. 13:1 languages, also in v. 8
  2. 13:3 Other mss read body to be burned
  3. 13:12 Lit we see indirectly

13 If I speak in the tongues[a](A) of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy(B) and can fathom all mysteries(C) and all knowledge,(D) and if I have a faith(E) that can move mountains,(F) but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor(G) and give over my body to hardship that I may boast,[b](H) but do not have love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient,(I) love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.(J) It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking,(K) it is not easily angered,(L) it keeps no record of wrongs.(M) Love does not delight in evil(N) but rejoices with the truth.(O) It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.(P)

Love never fails. But where there are prophecies,(Q) they will cease; where there are tongues,(R) they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part(S) and we prophesy in part, 10 but when completeness comes,(T) what is in part disappears. 11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood(U) behind me. 12 For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror;(V) then we shall see face to face.(W) Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.(X)

13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love.(Y) But the greatest of these is love.(Z)

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 13:1 Or languages
  2. 1 Corinthians 13:3 Some manuscripts body to the flames