1 Thessalonians 5:3
New International Version
While people are saying, “Peace and safety,” destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.

New Living Translation
When people are saying, “Everything is peaceful and secure,” then disaster will fall on them as suddenly as a pregnant woman’s labor pains begin. And there will be no escape.

English Standard Version
While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.

Berean Standard Bible
While people are saying, “Peace and security,” destruction will come upon them suddenly, like labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.

Berean Literal Bible
For when they might say, "Peace and security," then suddenly destruction comes upon them, as the labor pains to her having in womb; and they shall not escape.

King James Bible
For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.

New King James Version
For when they say, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape.

New American Standard Bible
While they are saying, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction will come upon them like labor pains upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.

NASB 1995
While they are saying, “Peace and safety!” then destruction will come upon them suddenly like labor pains upon a woman with child, and they will not escape.

NASB 1977
While they are saying, “Peace and safety!” then destruction will come upon them suddenly like birth pangs upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.

Legacy Standard Bible
While they are saying, “Peace and safety!” then destruction will come upon them suddenly like labor pains upon a woman who is pregnant, and they will never escape.

Amplified Bible
While they are saying, “Peace and safety [all is well and secure!]” then [in a moment unforeseen] destruction will come upon them suddenly like labor pains on a woman with child, and they will absolutely not escape [for there will be no way to escape the judgment of the Lord].

Christian Standard Bible
When they say, “Peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them, like labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
When they say, “Peace and security,” then sudden destruction comes on them, like labor pains come on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.

American Standard Version
When they are saying, Peace and safety, then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall in no wise escape.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
When they shall say, “There is peace and quiet”, then suddenly destruction shall arise upon them as labor pains upon a pregnant woman, and they shall not escape.

Contemporary English Version
People will think they are safe and secure. But destruction will suddenly strike them like the pains of a woman about to give birth. And they won't escape.

Douay-Rheims Bible
For when they shall say, peace and security; then shall sudden destruction come upon them, as the pains upon her that is with child, and they shall not escape.

English Revised Version
When they are saying, Peace and safety, then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall in no wise escape.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
When people say, "Everything is safe and sound!" destruction will suddenly strike them. It will be as sudden as labor pains come to a pregnant woman. They won't be able to escape.

Good News Translation
When people say, "Everything is quiet and safe," then suddenly destruction will hit them! It will come as suddenly as the pains that come upon a woman in labor, and people will not escape.

International Standard Version
When people say, "There is peace and security," destruction will strike them as suddenly as labor pains come to a pregnant woman, and they will not be able to escape.

Literal Standard Version
for when they may say, “Peace and security,” then sudden destruction comes [on] them, as the travail [on] her who is with child, and they will not escape;

Majority Standard Bible
For while people are saying, “Peace and security,” destruction will come upon them suddenly, like labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.

New American Bible
When people are saying, “Peace and security,” then sudden disaster comes upon them, like labor pains upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.

NET Bible
Now when they are saying, "There is peace and security," then sudden destruction comes on them, like labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will surely not escape.

New Revised Standard Version
When they say, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them, as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and there will be no escape!

New Heart English Bible
Now when they are saying, "Peace and safety," then sudden destruction will come on them, like birth pains on a pregnant woman; and they will in no way escape.

Webster's Bible Translation
For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.

Weymouth New Testament
While they are saying "Peace and safety!" then in a moment destruction falls upon them, like birth-pains on a woman who is with child; and escape there is none.

World English Bible
For when they are saying, “Peace and safety,” then sudden destruction will come on them, like birth pains on a pregnant woman. Then they will in no way escape.

Young's Literal Translation
for when they may say, Peace and surety, then sudden destruction doth stand by them, as the travail doth her who is with child, and they shall not escape;

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Day of the Lord
2For you are fully aware that the Day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 3While people are saying, “Peace and security,” destruction will come upon them suddenly, like labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. 4But you, brothers, are not in the darkness so that this day should overtake you like a thief.…

Cross References
Job 15:21
Sounds of terror fill his ears; in his prosperity the destroyer attacks him.

Psalm 35:8
May ruin befall them by surprise; may the net they hid ensnare them; may they fall into the hazard they created.

Psalm 55:15
Let death seize them by surprise; let them go down to Sheol alive, for evil is with them in their homes.

Psalm 69:22
May their table become a snare; may it be a retribution and a trap.

Isaiah 20:6
And on that day the dwellers of this coastland will say, 'See what has happened to our source of hope, those to whom we fled for help and deliverance from the king of Assyria! How then can we escape?'"

Isaiah 21:3
Therefore my body is filled with anguish. Pain grips me, like the pains of a woman in labor. I am bewildered to hear, I am dismayed to see.

Isaiah 29:5
But your many foes will be like fine dust, the multitude of the ruthless like blowing chaff. Then suddenly, in an instant,


Treasury of Scripture

For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction comes on them, as travail on a woman with child; and they shall not escape.

Peace.

Deuteronomy 29:19
And it come to pass, when he heareth the words of this curse, that he bless himself in his heart, saying, I shall have peace, though I walk in the imagination of mine heart, to add drunkenness to thirst:

Judges 18:27,28
And they took the things which Micah had made, and the priest which he had, and came unto Laish, unto a people that were at quiet and secure: and they smote them with the edge of the sword, and burnt the city with fire…

Psalm 10:11-13
He hath said in his heart, God hath forgotten: he hideth his face; he will never see it

then.

Exodus 15:9,10
The enemy said, I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil; my lust shall be satisfied upon them; I will draw my sword, my hand shall destroy them…

Joshua 8:20-22
And when the men of Ai looked behind them, they saw, and, behold, the smoke of the city ascended up to heaven, and they had no power to flee this way or that way: and the people that fled to the wilderness turned back upon the pursuers…

Judges 20:41,42
And when the men of Israel turned again, the men of Benjamin were amazed: for they saw that evil was come upon them…

as.

Psalm 48:6
Fear took hold upon them there, and pain, as of a woman in travail.

Isaiah 43:6-9
I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back: bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth; …

Isaiah 21:3
Therefore are my loins filled with pain: pangs have taken hold upon me, as the pangs of a woman that travaileth: I was bowed down at the hearing of it; I was dismayed at the seeing of it.

and they.

Matthew 23:33
Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?

Hebrews 2:3
How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him;

Hebrews 12:23
To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,

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1 Thessalonians 5
1. He proceeds in the description of Christ's coming to judgment;
16. and gives various instructions;
23. and so concludes the epistle.














(3) They.--Quite vague and general, like the French on. The plural is so used frequently in St. Luke (Luke 12:11; Luke 12:20, margin; Luke 16:9, probably; Luke 23:29-31). Of course, however, no Christian could say so, for they are ever on the watch, so that "they" will mean "the world." The word "for" at the beginning of the verse should (according to the best MSS.) be struck out--the abruptness helps to enforce the lesson.

Peace and safety.--Carrying on the thought suggested by the word "night; they are taking their repose in security, without dreaming of any interruption to their slumbers. Is it possible that there may here be a faint recollection of the parable related in Matthew 25:1-13? . . .

Verse 3. - For; the best manuscripts omit this conjunction; the description is continuous. When they shall say; namely, the unbelieving world. Peace and safety; peace denoting internal rest, and safety external security. Sudden destruction cometh upon them. When they thought themselves most secure, they were then in the greatest danger; when they were most off their guard, then the crisis came. As travail upon a woman with child. The primary point of resemblance is certainly the suddenness and unexpectedness of the event; as labor comes upon a woman suddenly, so sudden destruction cometh upon the ungodly world. Still, however, the unavoidableness of the judgment may also be here intimated; there is no possibility of escape: this is implied in the last clause, and they shall not escape.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
While
ὅταν (hotan)
Conjunction
Strong's 3752: When, whenever. From hote and an; whenever; also causatively inasmuch as.

[people] are saying,
λέγωσιν (legōsin)
Verb - Present Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 3004: (a) I say, speak; I mean, mention, tell, (b) I call, name, especially in the pass., (c) I tell, command.

“Peace
Εἰρήνη (Eirēnē)
Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular
Strong's 1515: Probably from a primary verb eiro; peace; by implication, prosperity.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

security,”
ἀσφάλεια (asphaleia)
Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular
Strong's 803: Safety, security, reliability, firmness. From asphales; security.

destruction
ὄλεθρος (olethros)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3639: Ruin, doom, destruction, death. From a primary ollumi; ruin, i.e. Death, punishment.

will come
ἐφίσταται (ephistatai)
Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2186: To stand by, be urgent, befall one (as of evil), be at hand, impend. From epi and histemi; to stand upon, i.e. Be present.

upon them
αὐτοῖς (autois)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

suddenly,
αἰφνίδιος (aiphnidios)
Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 160: Unexpected, sudden. From a compound of a and phaino; unexpected, i.e. suddenly.

like
ὥσπερ (hōsper)
Adverb
Strong's 5618: Just as, as, even as. From hos and per; just as, i.e. Exactly like.

labor pains
ὠδὶν (ōdin)
Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular
Strong's 5604: The pain of childbirth, acute pain, severe agony, a snare. Akin to odune; a pang or throe, especially of childbirth.

on
τῇ (tē)
Article - Dative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

a pregnant woman,
ἐχούσῃ (echousē)
Verb - Present Participle Active - Dative Feminine Singular
Strong's 2192: To have, hold, possess. Including an alternate form scheo skheh'-o; a primary verb; to hold.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

they will not escape.
ἐκφύγωσιν (ekphygōsin)
Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 1628: To flee out, away, escape; with an acc: I escape something. From ek and pheugo; to flee out.


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NT Letters: 1 Thessalonians 5:3 For when they are saying Peace (1 Thess. 1 Thes. 1Th iTh i Th)
1 Thessalonians 5:2
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