But woe to those who are with child and to those who nurse babies in those days!
Parallel Translations
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But woe to those who are with child and to those who nurse babies in those days!
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Woo is then to them that are with chylde and to them that geve soucke in thoose dayes.
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Then wo shalbe to the that are with child, and to them that giue sucke in those dayes.
Cross-references (9)
Passages linked to Mark 13:17 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- Lamentations 4:10 The hands of the pitiful women have boiled their own children. They were their food in the destruction of the daughter of my people.
- Luke 23:29 For behold, the days are coming in which they will say, ‘Blessed are the barren, the wombs that never bore, and the breasts that never nursed.’
- Deuteronomy 28:56-57 The tender and delicate woman among you, who would not venture to set the sole of her foot on the ground for delicateness and tenderness, her eye will be evil toward the husband that she loves, toward her son, toward her daughter, toward her young one who comes out from between her feet, and toward her children whom she bears; for she will eat them secretly for lack of all things in the siege and in the distress with which your enemy will distress you in your gates.
- Lamentations 2:19-20 Arise, cry out in the night, at the beginning of the watches! Pour out your heart like water before the face of the Lord. Lift up your hands toward him for the life of your young children, who faint for hunger at the head of every street. “Look, Yahweh, and see to whom you have done thus! Should the women eat their offspring, the children that they held and bounced on their knees? Should the priest and the prophet be killed in the sanctuary of the Lord?
- Lamentations 4:3-4 Even the jackals offer their breast. They nurse their young ones. But the daughter of my people has become cruel, like the ostriches in the wilderness. The tongue of the nursing child clings to the roof of his mouth for thirst. The young children ask bread, and no one breaks it for them.
- Hosea 9:14 Give them—Yahweh what will you give? Give them a miscarrying womb and dry breasts.
- Hosea 13:16 Samaria will bear her guilt; for she has rebelled against her God. They will fall by the sword. Their infants will be dashed in pieces, and their pregnant women will be ripped open.”
- Matthew 24:19-21 But woe to those who are with child and to nursing mothers in those days! Pray that your flight will not be in the winter, nor on a Sabbath, for then there will be great suffering, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, nor ever will be.
- Luke 21:23 Woe to those who are pregnant and to those who nurse infants in those days! For there will be great distress in the land, and wrath to this people.
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (6 sources)
Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.
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John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain 17 But woe to them that are with child,…
17 But woe to them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days!
Ver. 17. {See Trapp on "Mat 24:19"}
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain And pray ye that your flight be not in…
And pray ye that your flight be not in winter. When days are short, roads bad, the weather inclement; and when to lodge in mountains, is very incommodious, and uncomfortable. The Persic version adds, "neither on the sabbath day"; See Gill on Mat 24:20.
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Mark 13:19
mar 13:19
mar 13:19
mar 13:19For in those days shall be affliction,.... What with the close siege of the Romans; the fury of the zealots, and seditious; the rage of different parties among the Jews themselves; the ravage of the sword, both within and without, together with dreadful plagues and famines:
such as was not from the beginning of the creation, which God created, unto this time, neither shall be; of which there never was the like in any age, and cannot be paralleled in any history, since the beginning of time, or the world was made, or any thing in it, down to that period; nor ever will the like befall any one particular nation under the heavens, to the end of the world; See Gill on Mat 24:21.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain But woe unto them that are with child and…
But woe unto them that are with child and to them that give suck in those days! Women in this condition would be specially objects of pity, for they would be more exposed to danger. The words, "Woe to them (ouai)!" are an exclamation of pity, as, though it was said, "Alas! for them." Josephus (7:8) mentions that some mothers, constrained by hunger during the siege, devoured their own infants!
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Paul E. Kretzmann 1924 · Public Domain The horrors of the devastation:
The horrors of the devastation:
v. 17. But woe to them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days!
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v. 18. And pray ye that your flight be not in the winter.
v. 19. For in those days shall be affliction, such as was not from the beginning of the creation which God created unto this time, neither shall be.
v. 20. And except that the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh should be saved; but for the elect’s sake, whom He hath chosen, He hath shortened the days.
The prophecy of Christ here becomes so vivid that the apostles had the whole picture before their mind’s eye; the precipitate flight, the fear and terror, the greatest hardships falling upon those that are by nature least able to bear them. The condition of those that had but recently become or were about to become mothers would be most pitiful, since they would be severely handicapped for hurried departure. And so far as they all were concerned, they should implore God most earnestly that their flight should not take place in the winter when the season’s unpleasantness would be an added inconvenience. Jesus uses a very strong figure at this point: The days will be tribulation. The people would be so completely submerged and overwhelmed with the horror of it all that they would be able to see nothing but these fears and fightings; there would be such nameless misfortunes and trials that all calamitous experiences of the entire human race would thereby be eclipsed. The siege and destruction of Jerusalem was the bloodiest spectacle which the world has ever seen, and the actual affliction of those days was not been equaled since. If it had not been for the merciful shortening of those days out, of regard for them that were God’s own, none would be saved. Note: Both the creation and the work of redemption are here ascribed to God by Jesus; He has created the whole creation, and He loves, and will care for, His believers, He will hear their intercession for others out of loving kindness.
Paul E. Kretzmann, Popular Commentary of the Bible (1921–1924) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 are with child
are with child
This is a polite way to say that someone is pregnant. AT: "are pregnant" (See: Euphemism)
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Pray that it
"Pray that these times" or "Pray that these things"
the winter
"the cold season" or "the cold, rainy season." This refers to the time of year when it is cold and unpleasant and difficult to travel.
such as has not been
"greater than there has ever been." This describes how great and terrible the tribulation will be. There has never been a tribulation as terrible as this one will be.
no, nor ever will be again
"and greater than there will ever be again" or "and after that tribulation, there will never again be a tribulation like it"
had shortened the days
"had shortened the time." It may be helpful to specify which "days" are referred to. AT: "had reduced the days of suffering" or "had shortened the time of suffering" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)
no flesh would be saved
The word "flesh" refers to people, and "saved" refers to physical salvation. AT: "no one would be saved" or "everyone would die" (See: Synecdoche)
for the sake of the elect
"in order to help the elect"
the elect, those whom he chose
The phrase "those whom he chose" means the same thing as "the elect." Together, they emphasize that God chose these people. (See: Doublet)
translationWords
woe
day
tribulation
God
world
lord
flesh
save
chosen one
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 13:17 The intensity of the coming disaster is illustrated…
13:17 The intensity of the coming disaster is illustrated by the suffering of the most vulnerable. In that day, the joy of motherhood (see Luke 1:25, 57-59) would be accompanied by terrible trouble.
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.