1My name is Jeremiah. I am a priest, and my father Hilkiah and everyone else in my family are from Anathoth in the territory of the Benjamin tribe. This book contains the things that the Lord told me to say. 2 The Lord first spoke to me in the thirteenth year that Josiah+ was king of Judah, 3 and he continued to speak to me during the rule of Josiah's son Jehoiakim.+ The last time the Lord spoke to me was in the fifth month+ of the eleventh year that Josiah's son Zedekiah+ was king. That was also when the people of Jerusalem were taken away as prisoners.

The Lord Chooses Jeremiah

4The Lord said:

5“Jeremiah, I am your Creator,

and before you were born,

I chose you to speak for me

to the nations.”

6I replied, “I'm not a good speaker, Lord, and I'm too young.”

7“Don't say you're too young,” the Lord answered. “If I tell you to go and speak to someone, then go! And when I tell you what to say, don't leave out a word! 8I promise to be with you and keep you safe, so don't be afraid.”

9The Lord reached out his hand, then he touched my mouth and said, “I am giving you the words to say, 10and I am sending you with authority to speak to the nations for me. You will tell them of doom and destruction, and of rising and rebuilding again.”

11The Lord showed me something in a vision. Then he asked, “What do you see, Jeremiah?”

I answered, “A branch of almonds that ripen early.”

12“That's right,” the Lord replied, “and I always rise early+ to keep a promise.”

13Then the Lord showed me something else and asked, “What do you see now?”

I answered, “I see a pot of boiling water in the north, and it's about to spill out toward us.”

14The Lord said:

I will pour out destruction

all over the land.

15Just watch while I send

for the kings of the north.

They will attack and capture

Jerusalem and other towns,

then set up their thrones

at the gates of Jerusalem.

16I will punish my people,

because they are guilty

of turning from me

to worship idols.

17Jeremiah, get ready!

Go and tell the people

what I command you to say.

Don't be frightened by them,

or I will make you terrified

while they watch.

18My power will make you strong

like a fortress

or a column of iron

or a wall of bronze.

You will oppose all of Judah,

including its kings and leaders,

its priests and people.

19They will fight back,

but they won't win.

I, the Lord, give my word—

I won't let them harm you.