Who are the "they" in 1 Thessalonians 5:3 who say "peace and safety"?
In 1 Thessalonians 5:3, 'they' refers to those left behind after the believers are caught up to meet the Lord in the air—the unbelievers, the unbelieving world. The pronoun switches from 'we/us' to 'they' because Paul here addresses unbelievers who will say 'peace and safety' before sudden destruction.
Les explains that chapter 4 deals with believers being caught up to meet the Lord in the air, but chapter 5 shifts to those who have been left behind, the unbelievers, so the pronoun switches to 'they.' When they shall say peace and safety, then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child, and they, the unbelieving world, shall not escape. Les teaches this is the best example in all of Paul's writings of how, when he writes to believers, the pronoun is us and we. Very seldom does he allude to the unbelieving world like he does here in chapter 5; everything he writes is for us as believers.
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.
More Questions
Why does the pronoun switch from 'we' to 'they' in 1 Thessalonians 4 and 5?
In what Paul says about meeting the Lord, the pronoun 'we' in chapter 4 refers to believers who are caught up to meet the Lord in the air, while in chapter 5 the pronoun switches to 'they' because he is dealing with those left behind, the unbelievers.
What happens when people say 'peace and safety' according to Paul?
Paul's statement that people will say 'peace and safety' is followed by sudden destruction coming upon them like labor pains on a pregnant woman, and the unbelieving world will not escape.