Jeremiah 1

Before I Formed You in the Womb I Knew You

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The Word That Came to Jeremiah

1:1The word of God that came upon Jeremiah son of Hilkiah, one of the priests, who lived in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin,

1:2which became God’s word to him in the days of Josiah son of Amos, king of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his reign.

1:3It also came in the days of Jehoiakim son of Josiah, king of Judah, until the eleventh year of Zedekiah son of Josiah, king of Judah, until Jerusalem’s captivity in the fifth month.

1:4The Lord’s word came to me, saying,

The Call of Jeremiah

1:5Before I formed you in the belly, I know you; before you came out of the womb, I have consecrated you. I have appointed you a prophet to nations.

1:6I said, O Master Lord! Look, I do not know how to speak, because I am young.

1:7The Lord said to me, Do not say, I am young, because you will go to everyone to whom I send you, and you will speak according to everything I command you.

1:8Do not fear them, because I am with you to rescue you, says the Lord.

1:9The Lord stretched out His hand toward me and touched my mouth. The Lord said to me, Look, I have put My words into your mouth.

1:10Look, today I have appointed you over nations and kingdoms, to uproot, demolish, destroy, build and plant.

What Do You See, Jeremiah?

1:11The Lord’s word came to me, saying, What do you see, Jeremiah? I said, A nut-wood staff.

1:12The Lord said to me, You have seen well, because I am watchful over My words to perform them.

The Second Word: From the North

1:13The Lord’s word came to me a second time, saying, What do you see? I said, A cauldron heated from beneath, its face away from the north.

1:14The Lord said to me, From the north calamities will be kindled upon all who inhabit the land.

1:15Because look, I am summoning all the kingdoms from the north of the land, says the Lord. They will come and each set his throne at the forecourts of Jerusalem’s gates, against all her surrounding walls and against all Judah’s cities.

1:16I will speak to them with judgment concerning all their evil, because they abandoned Me, sacrificed to foreign gods and bowed down to the works of their hands.

Gird Your Waist and Rise

1:17But you, gird your waist, rise and tell them everything I command you. Do not fear them or be terrified before them, because I am with you to rescue you, says the Lord.

1:18Look, on this day I have made you like a fortified city and like a strong bronze wall against all Judah’s kings, its rulers and the people of the land,

1:19and they will fight you, but they will certainly not prevail against you, because I am with you to rescue you, said the Lord.

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Saints Translation · Liturgical reading edition · V1 · working draft awaiting specialist review.