4. The Lord spoke these words to me:
5. “Before I made you in your mother’s womb, I chose you.Before you were born, I set you apart for a special work.I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”
6. Then I said, “But Lord God, I don’t know how to speak. I am only a boy.”
7. But the Lord said to me, “Don’t say, ‘I am only a boy.’ You must go everywhere that I send you. You must say everything I tell you to say.
8. Don’t be afraid of anyone, because I am with you. I will protect you,” says the Lord.
9. Then the Lord reached out with his hand and touched my mouth. He said to me, “See, I am putting my words in your mouth.
10. Today I have put you in charge of nations and kingdoms. You will pull up and tear down, destroy and overthrow. You will build up and plant.”
11. The Lord spoke this word to me: “Jeremiah, what do you see?”I answered the Lord and said, “I see a stick of almond wood.”
12. The Lord said to me, “You have seen correctly! And I am watching to make sure my words come true.”