1. These are the words of Jeremiah son of Hilkiah, one of the priests from the town of Anathoth in the land of Benjamin.
2. The lord first gave messages to Jeremiah during the thirteenth year of the reign of Josiah son of Amon, king of Judah.
3. The lord’s messages continued throughout the reign of King Jehoiakim, Josiah’s son, until the eleventh year of the reign of King Zedekiah, another of Josiah’s sons. In August of that eleventh year the people of Jerusalem were taken away as captives.
4. The lord gave me this message:
5. “I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb.Before you were born I set you apartand appointed you as my prophet to the nations.”
6. “O Sovereign lord,” I said, “I can’t speak for you! I’m too young!”