The NT use of mello in distinction to the simple future tense.

Some versions such as Robert Young’s Literal Translation and The Emphatic Diaglot consistently render mello in virtually all its forms and tenses as "about to." Thus, Young renders Revelation 12:4, 5:

The dragon did stand before the woman who is about to bring forth, that when she may bring forth, her child he may devour; and she brought forth a male child, who is about to rule all the nations with a rod of iron.

The picture is of the dragon standing poised, ready to devour the Child (which he did not do), and the Child standing poised with a rod of iron ready to rule all nations (but again, He did not do so, for He was snatched away to God and to His throne; the rule is yet future). Other mello passages in Revelation are rendered thus in Young and in other literal translations:

Write . . . the things that are about (mello, present indicative) to come after these things (1:19).

Be not afraid of the things that thou art about (mello, same) to suffer (2:10).

Strengthen the rest of the things that are about (mello, imperfect indicative) to die (3:2).

The hour of the trial that is about (mello, present participle) to come upon all the world (3:10).

Their brethren, who are about (mello, present participle) to be killed—even as they (6:31).

The three messengers who are about (mello, same) to sound (8:13).

I was about (mello, imperfect indicative) to write (10:4).

When he may be about (mello, subjunctive) to sound (10:7).

The beast . . . is about (mello, present indicative) to come up out of the abyss (17:8).

In sharp contrast is Christ’s use of the simple future tense. In Revelation 2:22, 23 He makes several firm promises regarding "that woman Jezebel" saying "I will cast her into a couch," and "her children I will kill in death." Here we do not find mello, and yet the condition is expressed, "if they do not repent." Thank God there is no use of mello in any of the seven grand promises to "him that overcometh" (27, 11, 17, 26, 27; 3:5, 12, 21). Here the simple future tense is employed.

We can thank God that there is no use of mello in Christ’s firm promises in John 14:3, 16-18 (which are recorded by the same apostle): "I will come again," and "I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter. . . . He . . . shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless."

There must be a reason why He uses mello in that painful statement of Revelation 3:16. Although "the angel" of Laodicea has given Him greater sorrow than He has endured in all previous ages and nauseates Him terribly, He expresses a divine reluctance to yield to the nauseating impulse!

The Context of the Revelation 3:16 Statement
 

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