English / ERV
Jeremiah 1
Easy-to-Read Version, 2006
- 1These are the messages of Jeremiah, the son of Hilkiah. Jeremiah belonged to the family of priests who lived in the town of Anathoth.[1] That town is in the land that belongs to the tribe of Benjamin.
- 2The LORD began to speak to Jeremiah in the 13th year[2] that Josiah, son of Amon, was king of the nation of Judah.
- 3He continued to speak to Jeremiah during the time that Jehoiakim, son of Josiah, was king of Judah and during the eleven years and five months that Zedekiah, also a son of Josiah, was king of Judah. In the fifth month of Zedekiah’s eleventh year as king, the people who lived in Jerusalem were taken away into exile.
- 4The LORD’s message came to me:
- 5“Before I made you in your mother’s womb, I knew you. Before you were born, I chose you for a special work. I chose you to be a prophet to the nations.”
- 6Then I said, “But, Lord GOD, I don’t know how to speak. I am only a boy.”
- 7But the LORD said to me, “Don’t say, ‘I am only a boy.’ You must go everywhere I send you and say everything I tell you to say.
- 8Don’t be afraid of anyone. I am with you, and I will protect you.” This message is from the LORD.
- 9Then the LORD reached out with his hand and touched my mouth. He said to me, “Jeremiah, I am putting my words in your mouth.
- 10Today I have put you in charge of nations and kingdoms. You will pull up and tear down. You will destroy and overthrow. You will build up and plant.”
- 11The LORD’s message came to me: “Jeremiah, what do you see?” I answered, “I see a stick made from almond wood.”
- 12The LORD said to me, “You have seen very well, and I am watching[3] to make sure that my message to you comes true.”