Jeremiah 1

The LORD called Jeremiah before he was born and ordained him a prophet to the nations. Jeremiah protested that he was only a child, but the LORD touched his mouth and put His words in it. The LORD showed him two visions -- an almond branch and a boiling pot tilting from the north -- and promised to make him a fortified city against the whole land.

v	King James Version	Modern English
1	The words of Jeremiah the son of Hilkiah, of the priests that were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin:	These are the words of Jeremiah son of Hilkiah, one of the priests who lived in 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.	The word of the LORD came to Him in the days of Josiah son of Amon, king of Judah, in the thirteenth year of His reign.
3	It came also in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, unto the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah the son of Josiah king of Judah, unto the carrying away of Jerusalem captive in the fifth month.	It also came in the days of Jehoiakim son of Josiah, king of Judah, and continued through the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah son of Josiah, king of Judah — until Jerusalem was carried into captivity in the fifth month.
4	Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,	Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying:
5	Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.	"Before I formed You in the womb I knew You. Before You were born I sanctified You and ordained You a prophet to the nations."
6	Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child.	I said, "Ah, Lord GOD! I do not know how to speak — I am only a child."
7	But the LORD said unto me, Say not, I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak.	But the LORD said to me, "Do not say, 'I am only a child.' You will go to everyone I send You to, and You will speak everything I command You.
8	Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the LORD.	Do not be afraid of them, for I am with You to rescue You," says the LORD.
9	Then the LORD put forth his hand, and touched my mouth. And the LORD said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth.	Then the LORD reached out His hand and touched my mouth. He said to me, "I have put My words in Your mouth.
10	See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build, and to plant.	See — today I appoint You over nations and kingdoms, to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant."
11	Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Jeremiah, what seest thou? And I said, I see a rod of an almond tree.	The word of the LORD came to me again: "Jeremiah, what do you see?" I said, "I see a branch of an almond tree."
12	Then said the LORD unto me, Thou hast well seen: for I will hasten my word to perform it.	The LORD said, "You have seen correctly, for I am watching over My word to carry it out."
13	And the word of the LORD came unto me the second time, saying, What seest thou? And I said, I see a seething pot; and the face thereof is toward the north.	The word of the LORD came to me a second time: "What do You see?" I said, "I see a boiling pot, tilting away from the north."
14	Then the LORD said unto me, Out of the north an evil shall break forth upon all the inhabitants of the land.	The LORD said to me, "Disaster will break out from the north on all who live in this land.
15	For, lo, I will call all the families of the kingdoms of the north, saith the LORD; and they shall come, and they shall set every one his throne at the entering of the gates of Jerusalem, and against all the walls thereof round about, and against all the cities of Judah.	For I am calling all the kingdoms of the north," says the LORD. "They will come and each king will set His throne at the entrance of Jerusalem's gates. They will attack all its surrounding walls and all the towns of Judah.
16	And I will utter my judgments against them touching all their wickedness, who have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other gods, and worshipped the works of their own hands.	I will pronounce judgment on them for all their wickedness. They have forsaken Me, burned incense to other gods, and worshiped the work of their own hands.
17	Thou therefore gird up thy loins, and arise, and speak unto them all that I command thee: be not dismayed at their faces, lest I confound thee before them.	So prepare Yourself. Stand up and speak to them everything I command You. Do not be terrified by them, or I will terrify You before them.
18	For, behold, I have made thee this day a defenced city, and an iron pillar, and brasen walls against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, against the princes thereof, against the priests thereof, and against the people of the land.	Today I have made You 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.
19	And they shall fight against thee; but they shall not prevail against thee; for I am with thee, saith the LORD, to deliver thee.	They will fight against You but will not overcome You, for I am with You to rescue You," says the LORD.