English Standard Version
1 Thessalonians 5:3
3While 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.
1 Thessalonians 5:3 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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 International Version (NIV)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 King James Version (NKJV)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 Living Translation (NLT)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.
Context of 1 Thessalonians 5:3
1Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need to have anything written to you. 2For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 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. 4But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. 5For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness.
Read all of 1 Thessalonians 51 Thessalonians 5:3 word by word
ὅταν λέγωσιν· εἰρήνη καὶ ἀσφάλεια, τότε αἰφνίδιος αὐτοῖς ἐφίσταται ὄλεθρος ὥσπερ ἡ ὠδὶν τῇ ἐν γαστρὶ ἐχούσῃ, καὶ οὐ μὴ ἐκφύγωσιν.¶Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Forγάρgar · forG1063
- whenὅτανhotan · when(-ever)G3752
- they shall sayλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
- Peaceεἰρήνηeirēnē · peaceG1515
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- safetyἀσφάλειαasphaleia · securityG803
- thenτότεtote · thenG5119
- suddenαἰφνίδιοςaiphnidios · suddenG160
- destructionὄλεθροςolethros · destructiveG3639
- comethἐφίστημιephistēmi · to approachG2186
- upon themαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- asὥσπερhōsper · just asG5618
- travailὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- travailὠδίνōdin · laborG5604
- withἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
- childγαστήρgastēr · bellyG1064
- they shallἔχωechō · to have/beG2192
- notοὐou · noG3756
- notμήmē · notG3361
- escapeἐκφεύγωekpheugō · to escapeG1628
Cross-references for 1 Thessalonians 5:3
- Deuteronomy 29:19one who, when he hears the words of this sworn covenant, blesses himself in his heart, saying, 'I shall be safe, though I walk in the stubbornness of my heart.' This will lead to the sweeping away of moist and dry alike.
- Judges 18:27But the people of Dan took what Micah had made, and the priest who belonged to him, and they came to Laish, to a people quiet and unsuspecting, and struck them with the edge of the sword and burned the city with fire.
- Psalms 10:11He says in his heart, "God has forgotten, he has hidden his face, he will never see it."
- Isaiah 21:4My heart staggers; horror has appalled me; the twilight I longed for has been turned for me into trembling.
- Isaiah 56:12"Come," they say, "let me get wine; let us fill ourselves with strong drink; and tomorrow will be like this day, great beyond measure."
- Daniel 5:3Then they brought in the golden vessels that had been taken out of the temple, the house of God in Jerusalem, and the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines drank from them.
- Nahum 1:10For they are like entangled thorns, like drunkards as they drink; they are consumed like stubble fully dried.
- Matthew 24:37For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.
- Luke 17:26Just as it was in the days of Noah, so will it be in the days of the Son of Man.
- Luke 21:34"But watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a trap.
- Exodus 15:9The enemy said, 'I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil, my desire shall have its fill of them. I will draw my sword; my hand shall destroy them.'
- Joshua 8:20So when the men of Ai looked back, behold, the smoke of the city went up to heaven, and they had no power to flee this way or that, for the people who fled to the wilderness turned back against the pursuers.
- Judges 20:41Then the men of Israel turned, and the men of Benjamin were dismayed, for they saw that disaster was close upon them.
- 2 Chronicles 32:19And they spoke of the God of Jerusalem as they spoke of the gods of the peoples of the earth, which are the work of men's hands.
- Psalms 73:18Truly you set them in slippery places; you make them fall to ruin.
- Proverbs 29:1He who is often reproved, yet stiffens his neck, will suddenly be broken beyond healing.
Commentaries on 1 Thessalonians 5:3
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3For when they shall say, Peace and safety - This points out, very particularly, the state of the Jewish people when the Romans came against them; and so fully persuaded were they that God would not deliver the city and temple to their enemies, that they refused every overture that was made to them. Sudden destruction - In the storming of their city and the burning of their temple, and the massacre of several hundreds of thousands of themselves; the rest…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3For when they shall say, Peace and safety - That is, when the wicked shall say this, for the apostle here refers only to those on whom “sudden destruction” will come; compare Matthew 24:36-42 notes; 2 Peter 3:3-4 notes. It is clear from this: (1) that when the Lord Jesus shall come the world will not all be converted. There will be some to be “destroyed.” How large this proportion will be, it is impossible now to ascertain. This supposition, however, is…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3“Peace and security”: This phrase was common during the time of the pax Romana (Roman peace). Despite this assumption of security, God's final judgment arrives suddenly and no one can avoid it.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-53. they--the men of the world. 1Th 5:5, 6; 1Th 4:13, "others," all the rest of the world save Christians. Peace--(Jud 18:7, 9, 27, 28; Jr 6:14; Eze 13:10). then--at the very moment when they least expect it. Compare the case of Belshazzar, Da 5:1-5, 6, 9, 26-28; Herod, Ac 12:21-23. sudden--"unawares" (Lu 21:34). as travail--"As the labor pang" comes in an instant on the woman when otherwise engaged (Psa 48:6; Is 13:8). shall not escape--Greek, "shall not…Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Thessalonians 5:3
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 1 Thessalonians 5
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Illustrated New Testament
- Burkitt’s Expository Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Family Bible Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- The People’s New Testament
- Robertson’s Word Pictures
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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