There is a word in the Greek texts of the New Testament that is often mistranslated or left out of English translations, probably because of biases and assumptions of modern translators. It is the little word with a big meaning— “MELLO.” You can verify what is said in this article by going to a literal translation of the Bible such as Young’s Literal Translation, Green’s Literal Translation, Modern Literal Version, Berean Literal Bible, Julia Smith Literal Translation, etc. Be careful, this might change your thinking about Bible prophecy:
Sometimes we focus on time-limiting words such as soon, shortly and at hand, but one lessor known word is the Greek word “mello.” “Mello” (with its root words/derivatives) means “to be about to be, to be the point of doing” (Analytical Greek Lexicon, p. 262; Arndt, p. 500; Thayer, p. 396). It is in the original language and text, but has not been translated consistently in English translations.
MELLO is a very important word. This word amplifies the doctrine of imminence found throughout the New Testament. When you see how the word was used and you place yourself in the place of 1st century hearers, you can in no way say that they thought that “ABOUT TO BE” meant 2000 years later.
Here are some scriptures in which MELLO appears, signifying great expectation that the prophesied events were ABOUT to occur in the first century. Study this and see how Scripture becomes very clear concerning the imminence of these events.
- Matt. 3:7 & Luke 3:7 – “But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath [MELLO – about] to come?” The wrath was ABOUT to occur in AD 70. He was warning the Jewish leaders about the wrath to come where the temple and Jerusalem would be destroyed.
- Matt. 16:27, 28 – “For the Son of Man is [MELLO – about] to come in the glory of his Father with His angels; and will then recompense every man according to his deeds. Truly, I say to you, there are some of those who are standing here who shall not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.” This is very clear. Some would not see death. He is ABOUT to Come. Let’ Christ’s words be PLAIN and TRUE.
- Matt. 24:6 – “And you will [MELLO – about to] be hearing of wars and rumors of wars; see that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end.” This is very clear also. Jesus was saying you are ABOUT to hear of wars and rumors.
- Luke 21:36 – “But keep on alert at all times, praying in order that you may have strength to escape all these things that are [MELLO] about to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.”
- Acts 17:31 – “Because He has fixed a day in which He [MELLO – is about to] judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead.” Paul made it very clear that God was ABOUT to judge the known world in his generation. The world is oikoumené which means the known world.
- Acts 24:14, 15 – “But this I admit to you, that according to the Way which they call a sect I do serve the God of our fathers, believing everything that is in accordance with the Law, and that is written in the Prophets; having a hope in God, which these men cherish themselves, that there shall [MELLO – about to be] a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked.” Again, Paul made it very clear. He was expecting everything that was written to be fulfilled very soon in his lifetime including the resurrection.
- Acts 24:25 – “And as he was discussing righteousness, self-control and the judgment [MELLO-about] to come, Felix became frightened and said, “Go away for the present, and when I find time, I will summon you.” Notice Felix became frightened. The Judgment was About to Come. I would be frightened also.
- Acts 26:22, 23 – “And so, having obtained help from God, I stand to this day testifying both to small and great, stating nothing but what the Prophets and Moses said was going [MELLO-about] to take place; that Christ was to suffer, and that by reason of His resurrection from the dead He should be the first to proclaim light both to Jewish people and to the Gentiles.” Notice Paul said the writings of the Prophets and Moses were about to be fulfilled.
- Rom. 8:18 – “For I consider that sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is [MELLO – about] to be revealed to us.”
- Rom. 8:38, 39 – “For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things [MELLO – about] to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Notice things present (Mosaic Age) and things about to come (Messianic Age) are associated with death, life, angels, etc. which shall not able to separate us from the love of God.
- 1 Cor. 3:21-23 – “So then, let no one boast in men. For all things belong to you, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or things present or things [MELLO – about] to come; all things belong to you, and you belong to Christ; and Christ belongs to God.” This is the same thing as in Rom. 8:38.
- Eph 1:21 – “Far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in the one [MELLO – about] to come.” It is very important to understand the meaning of “this age” (Old Covenant) and “the age about to come” (New Covenant). This is true eschatology.
- Col. 2:16, 17 – “Therefore let no one act as your judge in regard to food or drink or in respect to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day, things which are a mere shadow of what is [MELLO – about] to come; but the substance belongs to Christ.” Do you see a pattern? The festivals, etc. were around the Old Covenant, which was passing away. This was a shadow for the New Covenant ABOUT to come to its fullest.
- 2 Tim. 4:1 – “I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is [MELLO – about] to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom.”
- Heb. 1:13, 14 – “But to which of the angels has He ever said, ‘Sit at my right hand, until I make thine enemies a footstool for Thy feet?’ Are they not all ministering spirits, send out to render service for the sake of those who will [MELLO -about to] inherit salvation?” (cf. Hebrews 9:28) The enemies of Christ included the Jewish people (Luke 19:27, Rom. 11:28, Phil 3:2, 18, 19). Christ crushed the head of all enemies, even Death, and sat down at the right hand of his Father to reign eternally, whose kingdom shall have no end. Notice all the saints since the Fall are ABOUT to inherit salvation (redemption) in heaven.
- Heb. 10:1 – “For the Law, since it has only a shadow of the good things [MELLO – about] to come and not the very form of things, can never by the same sacrifices year by year, which they offer continually, make perfect those who draw near.” What are the good things ABOUT to come, that was a shadow? Of course, the New Covenant, which was ushered in [in finality], in AD 70.
- Heb. 10:27 – “But a certain terrifying exception of judgment, and the fury of a fire which will [MELLO -about to] consume the adversaries.” If you read Josephus (and later George Holford), you knew Jerusalem literally was engulfed in fire, great fire. This was God’s wrath.
- Heb. 13:14 – “For here we do not have a lasting city, but we are seeking the city which is [MELLO – about] to come.” Old Jerusalem is obsolete. We are the New Jerusalem, the lasting city.
(Taken from a Facebook post by Donald Hochner and Ancil McBarnett.)
Here’s a helpful video stuy of mello.