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  • 1 Thessalonians 5:3
    New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures
    • 3 Whenever it is that they are saying, “Peace and security!” then sudden destruction is to be instantly on them,+ just like birth pains on a pregnant woman, and they will by no means escape.

  • 1 Thessalonians 5:3
    The Kingdom Interlinear Translation of the Greek Scriptures
    • 3 ὅταν Whenever λέγωσιν they may be saying Εἰρήνη Peace καὶ and ἀσφάλεια, security, τότε then αἰφνίδιος sudden αὐτοῖς to them ἐπίσταται is standing upon ὄλεθρος destruction ὥσπερ as-even ἡ the ὠδὶν birth pang τῇ to the [woman] ἐν in γαστρὶ belly ἐχούσῃ, having, καὶ and οὐ not μὴ not ἐκφύγωσιν. they should flee out.

  • 1 Thessalonians 5:3
    New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures—With References
    • 3 Whenever it is that they+ are saying: “Peace+ and security!” then sudden destruction+ is to be instantly upon them just as the pang of distress upon a pregnant woman;+ and they will by no means escape.+

  • 1 Thessalonians 5:3
    The Bible in Living English
    • 3 When they say “peace and safety,” then destruction is upon them suddenly, as the birth-pang comes upon a pregnant woman, and they shall not escape.

  • 1 Thessalonians 5:3
    American Standard Version
    • 3 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.

  • 1 Thessalonians 5:3
    The Emphasized Bible
    • 3 As soon as they begin to say—Peace! and safety! Then suddenly upon them cometh destruction,—Just as the birth-throe unto her that is with child,—And in nowise shall they escape.

  • 1 Thessalonians 5:3
    King James Version
    • 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
    Watch Tower Publications Index 1986-2025
    • 5:3 w23.02 16; w23.06 9, 13; w23.10 21; w19.09 9-10; w19.10 9; it-2 187; kr 222-223; w13 1/1 7; w13 11/15 12-13; w12 9/15 3-4; w10 7/15 5; w08 5/15 15-16; g 4/08 7; re 251; w04 2/1 20-21; wt 182; dg 21; w97 6/1 9-10; w95 4/15 25; w94 8/1 6; pr 28; g93 2/22 32; w91 4/15 7; w91 9/1 5-8; w91 9/15 16; sh 371-372; g89 12/8 24-27; w88 11/1 6; g88 4/8 14; w87 5/15 17-19; w87 9/1 18-20, 23; w86 10/1 18-20; tp 5-7, 85

  • 1 Thessalonians
    Watch Tower Publications Index 1930-1985
    • 5:3 w84 5/15 6; su 185-186; uw 182; g83 8/22 6-8; g83 12/22 7; w82 5/1 18; w81 11/15 11-17; w78 4/1 5; w78 12/15 15; w76 442; w76 710-711; w75 375; w75 681-682; g75 11/8 7; w74 40; w74 243-244; w74 552; g74 4/8 7-8; ka 365; tp73 89; g72 10/8 14-15, 22; ad 1018; w64 626; pw 14; w54 380; w53 699; nh 293; aa 17; w51 614; rm 330; w49 45; pn 27; w42 58, 101, 190; w41 23, 119, 359, 373; w40 243, 262, 296; w39 103; wa 54; w37 357, 363; en 293; w36 87, 99-100; cg36 32; fw 36; w31 54

  • 1 Thessalonians
    Research Guide for Jehovah’s Witnesses—2019 Edition
    • 5:3

      The Watchtower (Study),

      10/2023, p. 21

      6/2023, pp. 9, 13

      2/2023, p. 16

      The Watchtower (Study),

      10/2019, pp. 8-9

      9/2019, pp. 9-10

      Insight, Volume 2, p. 187

      God’s Kingdom Rules!, pp. 222-223

      The Watchtower,

      11/15/2013, pp. 12-13

      1/1/2013, p. 7

      9/15/2012, pp. 3-4

      7/15/2010, pp. 5-6

      5/15/2008, pp. 15-16

      2/1/2004, pp. 20-21

      6/1/1997, pp. 9-10

      4/15/1995, p. 25

      8/1/1994, p. 6

      9/15/1991, p. 16

      9/1/1991, pp. 5-6, 7-8

      4/15/1991, p. 7

      11/1/1988, p. 6

      9/1/1987, pp. 18-20, 23

      5/15/1987, pp. 17-19

      10/1/1986, pp. 18-20

      Awake!,

      4/2008, p. 7

      2/22/1993, p. 32

      12/8/1989, pp. 24-27

      4/8/1988, p. 14

      Revelation Climax, pp. 250-251

      Worship God, p. 182

      Does God Care, p. 21

      Purpose of Life, p. 28

      Mankind’s Search for God, pp. 371-372

      True Peace, pp. 5-7, 85

  • 1 Thessalonians Study Notes—Chapter 5
    New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures (Study Edition)
    • 5:3

      sudden destruction is to be instantly on them: Paul here indicates that there will be little or no time between the proclamation of “peace and security” and the destruction that will come upon those making that cry. It will be sudden and inescapable. The Greek phrase contains two terms (rendered “sudden” and “be instantly on”) to emphasize the striking suddenness with which the destruction will come. A similar combination of terms appears at Lu 21:34, where the coming of Jehovah’s day is described.

      just like birth pains on a pregnant woman: Labor pains come suddenly; there is no way of foreknowing the exact day and hour. However, Paul’s metaphor stresses the suddenness and inevitability of the coming destruction. Once labor pains begin, a woman knows that an unstoppable process has begun.​—Compare study note on Mt 24:8.

      they will by no means escape: Paul here uses two negatives (lit., “not not escape”) to emphasize that it will be impossible for the wicked to escape the “sudden destruction” that will come “instantly on them.”

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