Jeremiah

¹ The Message of Jeremiah son of Hilkiah of the family of priests who lived in Anathoth in the country of Benjamin.

² God's Message began to come to him during the thirteenth year that Josiah son of Amos reigned over Judah.

³ It continued to come to him during the time Jehoiakim son of Josiah reigned over Judah. And it continued to come to him clear down to the fifth month of the eleventh year of the reign of Zedekiah son of Josiah over Judah, the year that Jerusalem was taken into exile.

⁴ This is what God said:

⁵ I knew all about you. Before you saw the light of day, I had holy plans for you: A prophet to the nations— that's what I had in mind for you."

⁶ I don't know anything. I'm only a boy!"

⁷ I'll tell you where to go and you'll go there. I'll tell you what to say and you'll say it.

⁸ I'll be right there, looking after you." God's Decree.

⁹ "Look! I've just put my words in your mouth—hand-delivered!

¹⁰ among nations and governments—a red-letter day! Your job is to pull up and tear down, take apart and demolish, And then start over, building and planting."

¹¹ I said, "A walking stick—that's all."

¹² I'll make every word I give you come true."

¹³ I said, "I see a boiling pot, tipped down toward us."

¹⁴ on everyone living in this land.

¹⁵ God's Decree. "They'll come and set up headquarters facing Jerusalem's gates, Facing all the city walls, facing all the villages of Judah.

¹⁶ for walking out on me—what a terrible thing to do!— And courting other gods with their offerings, worshiping as gods sticks they'd carved, stones they'd painted.

¹⁷ Stand up and say your piece. Say exactly what I tell you to say. Don't pull your punches or I'll pull you out of the lineup.

¹⁸ I'm making you as impregnable as a castle, Immovable as a steel post, solid as a concrete block wall. You're a one-man defense system against this culture, Against Judah's kings and princes, against the priests and local leaders.

¹⁹ even scratch you. I'll back you up every inch of the way." God's Decree.