The Call of Jeremiah

The words of Jeremiah son of Hilkiah,
one of the priests at Anathoth in the territory of Benjamin.
The word of the Lord came to him
in the thirteenth year of the reign of Josiah
son of Amon king of Judah,
and through the reign of Jehoiakim
son of Josiah king of Judah,
down to the fifth month of the eleventh year
of Zedekiah son of Josiah king of Judah,
when the people of Jerusalem went into exile.

The word of the Lord came to me, saying,

"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
before you were born I set you apart;
I appointed you as a prophet to the nations."

"Ah, Sovereign Lord," I said,
"I do not know how to speak;
I am only a child."

But the Lord said to me,
"Do not say, 'I am only a child.'
You must go to everyone I send you to
and say whatever I command you.
Do not be afraid of them,
for I am with you and will rescue you," declares the Lord.

Then the Lord reached out His and
and touched my mouth and said to me,
"Now, I have put My words in your mouth.
See, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms
to uproot and tear down,
to destroy and overthrow,
to build and to plant.

(Jeremiah 1:1-10)