1 Thessalonians 5 · Verse 3

1 Thessalonians 5:3

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.

1 Thessalonians 5:3, King James Version

1 Thessalonians 5:3 in other translations

BSB	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.
WEB	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.
ASV	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.
YLT	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;
DARBY	When they may say, Peace and safety, then sudden destruction comes upon them, as travail upon her that is with child; and they shall in no wise escape.
BBE	When they say, There is peace and no danger, then sudden destruction will come on them, as birth-pains on a woman with child; and they will not be able to get away from it.
Webster	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.

What does 1 Thessalonians 5:3 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

3. 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 at all escape." Another awful feature of their ruin: there shall be then no possibility of shunning it however they desire it (Am 9:2, 3; Re 6:15, 16).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes

Verse 3. For 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 Mt 24:36 and following; 2Pet 3:3,4. 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 not inconsistent with the belief that there will be a general prevalence of the gospel before that period.

(2.) The impenitent and wicked world will be sunk in carnal security when he comes. They will regard themselves as safe. They will see no danger. They will give no heed to warning. They will be unprepared for his advent. So it has always been. It seems to be an universal truth in regard to all the visitations of God to wicked men for punishment, that he comes upon them at a time when they are not expecting him, and that they have no faith in the predictions of his advent. So it was in the time of the flood; in the destruction of Sodom, Gomorrah, and Jerusalem; in the overthrow of Babylon; so it is when the sinner dies, and so it will be when the Lord Jesus shall return to judge the world. One of the most remarkable facts about the history of man is, that he takes no warning from his Maker: he never changes his plans, or feels any emotion, because his Creator "thunders damnation along his path," and threatens to destroy him in hell.

Sudden destruction. Destruction that was unforeseen (αιφνιδιος) or unexpected. The word here rendered sudden, occurs nowhere else in the New Testament, except in Lk 21:34, "Lest that day come upon you unawares." The word rendered destruction ολεθρος --occurs in the New Testament only here and in 1Cor 5:5; 2Thes 1:9; 1Timm 6:9, in all of which places it is correctly translated destruction. The word destruction is familiar to us. It means, properly, demolition; pulling down; the annihilation of the form of any thing, or that form of parts which constitutes it what it is; as the destruction of grass by eating; of a forest by cutting down the trees; of life by murder; of the soul by consigning it to misery. It does not necessarily mean annihilation--for a house or city is not annihilated which is pulled down or burned; a forest is not annihilated which is cut down; and a man is not annihilated whose character and happiness are destroyed. In regard to the destruction here referred to, we may remark,

(1.) it will be after the return of the Lord Jesus to judgment; and hence it is not true that the wicked experience all the punishment which they ever will in the present life;

(2.) that it seems fairly implied that the destruction which they will then suffer will not be annihilation, but will be connected with conscious existence; and

(3.) that they will then be cut off from life, and hope, and salvation. How can the solemn affirmation that they will be "destroyed suddenly," be consistent with the belief that all men will be saved? Is it the same thing to be destroyed and to be saved? Does the Lord Jesus, when he speaks of the salvation of his people, say that he comes to destroy them?

As travail upon a woman with child. This expression is sometimes used to denote great consternation, as in Ps 48:6, Jer 6:24 Mic 4:9,10; great pain, as Isa 53:11, Jer 4:31, Jn 16:21; or the suddenness with which anything occurs, Jer 13:21. It seems here to be used to denote two things: first, that the coming of the Lord to a wicked world will be sudden; and, secondly, that it will be an event of the most distressing and overwhelming nature.

And they shall not escape. That is, the destruction, or punishment. They calculated on impunity, but now the time will have come when none of these refuges will avail them, and no rocks will cover them from the "wrath to come."

(b) "travail" Jer 13:21

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 3 For 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 being sold for slaves, and the whole of them dispersed over the face of the earth. As travail upon a woman - This figure is perfectly consistent with what the apostle had said before, viz.: that the times and seasons were not known: though the thing itself was expected, our Lord having predicted it in the most positive manner. So, a woman with child knows that, if she be spared, she will have a bearing time; but the week, the day, the hour, she cannot tell. In a great majority of cases the time is accelerated or retarded much before or beyond the time that the woman expected; so, with respect to the Jews, neither the day, week, month, nor year was known. All that was specifically known was this: their destruction was coming, and it should be sudden, and they should not escape.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 1 Thessalonians 5:1-5

It is needless or useless to ask about the particular time of Christ's coming. Christ did not reveal this to the apostles. There are times and seasons for us to work in, and these are our duty and interest to know and observe; but as to the time when we must give up our account, we know it not, nor is it needful that we should. The coming of Christ will be a great surprise to men. Our Lord himself said so. As the…

Read the full comment on 1 Thessalonians 5:1-5 →

1 Thessalonians 5:3 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ὅτανhotanwhenG3752

λέγωσιν·legōsinthey may say;G3004

εἰρήνηeirēnēPeaceG1515

καὶkaiandG2532

ἀσφάλεια,asphaleiasecurity,G803

τότεtotethenG5119

αἰφνίδιοςaiphnidiossuddenlyG160

αὐτοῖςautoisupon themG846

ἐφίσταταιephistataicomesG2186

ὄλεθροςolethrosdestructionG3639

ὥσπερhōsperasG5618

ἡhētheG3588

ὠδὶνōdinlabor painsG5604

τῇtēato herG3588

ἐνeninG1722

γαστρὶgastriwomb [pregnancy]G1064

ἐχούσῃ,echousēhaving,G2192

καὶkaiandG2532

οὐoucertainlyG3756

μὴmēnotG3361

ἐκφύγωσιν.¶ekphugōsinshall they escape.G1628

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 1 Thessalonians 5:3

Luke 21:34-35
And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.
Matthew 24:37-39
But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
Luke 17:26-30
And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all. Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. …
Revelation 18:7-8
How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow. Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her.
Psalms 73:18-20
Surely thou didst set them in slippery places: thou castedst them down into destruction. How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment! they are utterly consumed with terrors. As a dream when one awaketh; so, O Lord, when thou awakest, thou shalt despise their image.
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;
2 Thessalonians 1:9
Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;
2 Peter 2:4
For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;
Proverbs 29:1
He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.
Jeremiah 4:31
For I have heard a voice as of a woman in travail, and the anguish as of her that bringeth forth her first child, the voice of the daughter of Zion, that bewaileth herself, that spreadeth her hands, saying, Woe is me now! for my soul is wearied because of murderers.
Psalms 10:11-13
He hath said in his heart, God hath forgotten: he hideth his face; he will never see it. Arise, O Lord; O God, lift up thine hand: forget not the humble. Wherefore doth the wicked contemn God? he hath said in his heart, Thou wilt not require it.
Daniel 5:3-6
Then they brought the golden vessels that were taken out of the temple of the house of God which was at Jerusalem; and the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, drank in them. They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone. In the same hour came forth fingers of a man’s hand, and wrote over against the candlestick upon the plaister of the wall of the king’s palace: and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote. Then the king’s countenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Peace.
De 29:19; Jud 18:27,28; Ps 10:11-13; Isa 21:4; 56:12; Da 5:3-6
Na 1:10; Mt 24:37-39; Lu 17:26-30; 21:34,35
then.
Ex 15:9,10; Jos 8:20-22; Jud 20:41,42; 2Ch 32:19-21; Ps 73:18-20
Pr 29:1; Isa 30:13; Lu 17:27-29; 21:34,35; Ac 12:22,23; 13:41
2Th 1:9; 2Pe 2:4; Re 18:7,8
as.
Ps 48:6; Isa 43:6-9; 21:3; Jer 4:31; 6:24; 13:21; 22:23; Ho 13:13
Mic 4:9,10
and they.
Mt 23:33; Heb 2:3; 12:23

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

1 Thessalonians 5:2
For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.
1 Thessalonians 5:3
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.
1 Thessalonians 5:4
But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.

Read all of 1 Thessalonians 5

1 Thessalonians 5:3 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Que cuando dirán, Paz y seguridad, entonces vendrá sobre ellos destrucción de repente, como los dolores á la mujer preñada; y no escaparán.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Quand ils diront: “Paix et sûreté”, alors une subite destruction viendra sur eux, comme les douleurs sur celle qui est enceinte, et ils n’échapperont point.
German Elberfelder 1871	Wenn sie sagen: Friede und Sicherheit! dann kommt ein plötzliches Verderben über sie, gleichwie die Geburtswehen über die Schwangere; und sie werden nicht entfliehen.
Latin Clementine Vulgate	cum enim dixerint: Pax et securitas: tunc repentinus eis superveniet interitus, sicut dolor in utero habenti, et non effugient.