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Common English Bible CEB
1 The words of Jeremiah, the son of Hilkiah, one of the priests who were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin,
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These are the words of Jeremiah, Hilkiah's son, who was one of the priests from Anathoth in the land of Benjamin.
2 to whom the word of the Lord came in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his reign.
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The LORD's word came to Jeremiah in the thirteenth year of Judah's King Josiah, Amon's son,
3 It came also in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, and until the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah, the son of Josiah, king of Judah, until the captivity of Jerusalem in the fifth month.
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and throughout the rule of Judah's King Jehoiakim, Josiah's son, until the fifth month of the eleventh year of King Zedekiah, Josiah's son, when the people of Jerusalem were taken into exile.
4 Now the word of the Lord came to me, saying,
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The LORD's word came to me:
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. ”
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"Before I created you in the womb I knew you; before you were born I set you apart; I made you a prophet to the nations."
6 Then I said, “Ah, Lord God! Behold, I do not know how to speak, for I am only a youth. ”
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"Ah, LORD God," I said, "I don't know how to speak because I'm only a child."
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 whatever I command you, you shall speak.
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The LORD responded, "Don't say, ‘I'm only a child.' Where I send you, you must go; what I tell you, you must say.
8 Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you, declares the Lord. ”
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Don't be afraid of them, because I'm with you to rescue you," declares the LORD.
9 Then the Lord put out his hand and touched my mouth. And the Lord said to me, “Behold, I have put my words in your mouth.
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Then the LORD stretched out his hand, touched my mouth, and said to me, "I'm putting my words in your mouth.
10 See, I have set you this day over nations and over kingdoms, to pluck up and to break down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant. ”
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This very day I appoint you over nations and empires, to dig up and pull down, to destroy and demolish, to build and plant."
11 And the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Jeremiah, what do you see? ” And I said, “I see an almond branch. ”
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The LORD asked me, "What do you see, Jeremiah?" I said, "A branch of an almond tree."
12 Then the Lord said to me, “You have seen well, for I am watching over my word to perform it. ”
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The LORD then said, "You are right, for I'm watching over my word until it is fulfilled."
13 The word of the Lord came to me a second time, saying, “What do you see? ” And I said, “I see a boiling pot, facing away from the north. ”
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The LORD asked me again, "What do you see?" I said, "A pot boiling over from the north."
14 Then the Lord said to me, “Out of the north disaster shall be let loose upon all the inhabitants of the land.
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The LORD said to me, "Trouble will erupt from the north against the people of this land."
15 For behold, I am calling all the tribes of the kingdoms of the north, declares the Lord, and they shall come, and every one shall set his throne at the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem, against all its walls all around and against all the cities of Judah.
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I'm calling for all the tribes of great nations from the north, says the LORD, and they will set up their rulers by the entrances of Jerusalem, on its walls, and in every city of Judah.
16 And I will declare my judgments against them, for all their evil in forsaking me. They have made offerings to other gods and worshiped the works of their own hands.
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I will declare my judgment against them for doing evil: for abandoning me, worshipping other gods, and trusting in the works of their hands.
17 But you, dress yourself for work; arise, and say to them everything that I command you. Do not be dismayed by them, lest I dismay you before them.
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But you must prepare for battle and be ready to utter every word I command you. Don't be frightened before them, or I will frighten you before them.
18 And I, behold, I make you this day a fortified city, an iron pillar, and bronze walls, against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests, and the people of the land.
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Today I have made you an armed city, an iron pillar, and a bronze wall against the entire land—the kings of Judah, its princes, its priests, and all its people.
19 They will fight against you, but they shall not prevail against you, for I am with you, declares the Lord, to deliver you. ”
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They will attack you, but they won't defeat you, because I am with you and will rescue you, declares the LORD.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved. ESV Text Edition: 2025
Copyright © 2011 Common English Bible