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Jeremiah 1:4-10
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Jeremiah 1:4-10
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Call of Jeremiah
4 The word of the Lord came to me:
5 Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
before you were born I dedicated you,
a prophet to the nations I appointed you.[a](A)
6 “Ah, Lord God!” I said,
“I do not know how to speak. I am too young!”[b]
7 But the Lord answered me,
Do not say, “I am too young.”
To whomever I send you, you shall go;
whatever I command you, you shall speak.
8 Do not be afraid of them,
for I am with you to deliver you—oracle of the Lord.
9 Then the Lord extended his hand and touched my mouth, saying to me,
See, I place my words in your mouth!(B)
10 Today I appoint you
over nations and over kingdoms,
To uproot and to tear down,
to destroy and to demolish,
to build and to plant.
Footnotes
- 1:5 Jeremiah was destined to become a prophet before his birth; cf. Is 49:1, 5; Lk 1:15; Gal 1:15–16. I knew you: I loved you and chose you. I dedicated you: I set you apart to be a prophet. The nations: the neighbors of Judah, along with Assyria, Babylonia, and Egypt.
- 1:6 I am too young: like Moses (Ex 3:11, 13; 4:10), Jeremiah at first resists God’s call. This narrative is perhaps patterned after the story of Moses’ call in order to identify Jeremiah as the prophet “like me” in Dt 18:15.
Jeremiah 1:4-10
New American Standard Bible
Jeremiah 1:4-10
New American Standard Bible
4 Now the word of the Lord came to me, saying,
5 “Before I (A)formed you in the womb I knew you,
And (B)before you were born I consecrated you;
I have (C)appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”
6 Then (D)I said, “Oh, Lord [a]God!
Behold, I do not know how to speak,
Because (E)I am a youth.”
7 But the Lord said to me,
“Do not say, ‘I am a youth,’
(F)Because everywhere I send you, you shall go,
And (G)all that I command you, you shall speak.
8 (H)Do not be afraid of them,
For (I)I am with you to save you,” declares the Lord.
9 Then the Lord stretched out His hand and (J)touched my mouth, and the Lord said to me,
“Behold, I have (K)put My words in your mouth.
10 See, (L)I have appointed you this day over the nations and over the kingdoms,
(M)To root out and to tear down,
To destroy and to overthrow,
(N)To build and to plant.”
Footnotes
- Jeremiah 1:6 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord
Jeremiah 1:4-10
English Standard Version
Jeremiah 1:4-10
English Standard Version
The Call of Jeremiah
4 Now the word of the Lord came to me, saying,
5 (A)“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
and before you were born (B)I consecrated you;
I appointed you a prophet (C)to the nations.”
6 Then I said, “Ah, Lord God! Behold, (D)I do not know how to speak, (E)for I am only a youth.” 7 But the Lord said to me,
“Do not say, ‘I am only a youth’;
for to all to whom I send you, you shall go,
and (F)whatever I command you, you shall speak.
8 (G)Do not be afraid of them,
(H)for I am with you to deliver you,
declares the Lord.”
9 (I)Then the Lord put out his hand and (J)touched my mouth. And the Lord said to me,
“Behold, I have put (K)my words in your mouth.
10 See, I have set you this day (L)over nations and over kingdoms,
(M)to pluck up and to break down,
to destroy and to overthrow,
to build and to plant.”
Jeremiah 1:4-10
New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
Jeremiah 1:4-10
New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
Jeremiah’s Call and Commission
4 Now the word of the Lord came to me saying,
5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
and before you were born I consecrated you;
I appointed you a prophet to the nations.”
6 Then I said, “Ah, Lord God! Truly I do not know how to speak, for I am only a boy.” 7 But the Lord said to me,
“Do not say, ‘I am only a boy’;
for you shall go to all to whom I send you,
and you shall speak whatever I command you.
8 Do not be afraid of them,
for I am with you to deliver you,
says the Lord.”
9 Then the Lord put out his hand and touched my mouth; and the Lord said to me,
“Now I have put my words in your mouth.
10 See, today I appoint you over nations and over kingdoms,
to pluck up and to pull down,
to destroy and to overthrow,
to build and to plant.”
Jeremiah 1:4-10
New International Version
Jeremiah 1:4-10
New International Version
The Call of Jeremiah
4 The word of the Lord came to me, saying,
5 “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)”
6 “Alas, Sovereign Lord,” I said, “I do not know how to speak;(F) I am too young.”(G)
7 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. 8 Do not be afraid(H) of them, for I am with you(I) and will rescue(J) you,” declares the Lord.(K)
9 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)
Footnotes
- Jeremiah 1:5 Or chose
New American Bible (Revised Edition) (NABRE)
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New American Standard Bible (NASB) 
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English Standard Version (ESV) 
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New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE)
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NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.