1:1 The following is a record of what Jeremiah son of Hilkiah prophesied. ¹  He was one of the priests who lived at Anathoth in the territory of the tribe of Benjamin. 1:2 The Lord ²  began to speak to him ³  in the thirteenth year that Josiah son of Amon ruled over Judah. 1:3 The Lord also spoke to him when Jehoiakim son of Josiah ruled over Judah, and he continued to speak to him until the fifth month of the eleventh year ⁴  that Zedekiah son of Josiah ruled over Judah. That was when the people of Jerusalem ⁵  were taken into exile. ⁶ 

1:4 The Lord said to me,

1:5 “Before I formed you in your mother’s womb ⁷  I chose you. ⁸ 

Before you were born I set you apart.

I appointed you to be a prophet to the nations.”

1:6 I answered, “Oh, Lord God, ⁹  I really ¹⁰  do not know how to speak well enough for that, ¹¹  for I am too young.” ¹²  1:7 The Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am too young.’ But go ¹³  to whomever I send you and say whatever I tell you. 1:8 Do not be afraid of those to whom I send you, ¹⁴  for I will be with you to protect ¹⁵  you,” says the Lord. 1:9 Then the Lord reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, “I will most assuredly give you the words you are to speak for me. ¹⁶  1:10 Know for certain that ¹⁷  I hereby give you the authority to announce to nations and kingdoms that they will be ¹⁸  uprooted and torn down, destroyed and demolished, rebuilt and firmly planted.” ¹⁹