Revelation 17:11
New International Version
The beast who once was, and now is not, is an eighth king. He belongs to the seven and is going to his destruction.

New Living Translation
“The scarlet beast that was, but is no longer, is the eighth king. He is like the other seven, and he, too, is headed for destruction.

English Standard Version
As for the beast that was and is not, it is an eighth but it belongs to the seven, and it goes to destruction.

Berean Standard Bible
The beast that was, and now is not, is an eighth king, who belongs to the other seven and is going into destruction.

Berean Literal Bible
And the beast which was, and is not, is also himself an eighth, and is of the seven, and goes into destruction.

King James Bible
And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition.

New King James Version
The beast that was, and is not, is himself also the eighth, and is of the seven, and is going to perdition.

New American Standard Bible
The beast which was, and is not, is himself also an eighth and is one of the seven, and he goes to destruction.

NASB 1995
“The beast which was and is not, is himself also an eighth and is one of the seven, and he goes to destruction.

NASB 1977
“And the beast which was and is not, is himself also an eighth, and is one of the seven, and he goes to destruction.

Legacy Standard Bible
And the beast which was and is not, is himself also an eighth and is one of the seven, and he goes to destruction.

Amplified Bible
And the beast that [once] was but is not, is himself also an eighth king and is one of the seven, and he goes to destruction (perdition).

Christian Standard Bible
The beast that was and is not, is itself an eighth king, but it belongs to the seven and is going to destruction.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
The beast that was and is not, is himself an eighth king, yet he belongs to the seven and is going to destruction.

American Standard Version
And the beast that was, and is not, is himself also an eighth, and is of the seven; and he goeth into perdition.

Contemporary English Version
You also saw a beast that used to be and no longer is. That beast is one of the seven kings who will return as the eighth king, but only to be destroyed.

English Revised Version
And the beast that was, and is not, is himself also an eighth, and is of the seven; and he goeth into perdition.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
The beast that was and is no longer is the eighth king. It belongs with the seven kings and goes to its destruction.

Good News Translation
And the beast that was once alive, but lives no longer, is itself an eighth king who is one of the seven and is going off to be destroyed.

International Standard Version
The beast that was and is no longer is the eighth king, but it belongs with the seven kings and goes to its destruction.

Majority Standard Bible
The beast that was, and now is not, is an eighth king, who belongs to the other seven and is going into destruction.

NET Bible
The beast that was, and is not, is himself an eighth king and yet is one of the seven, and is going to destruction.

New Heart English Bible
The beast that was, and is not, is himself also an eighth, and is of the seven; and he goes to destruction.

Webster's Bible Translation
And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition.

Weymouth New Testament
And the Wild Beast which once existed but does not now exist--he is an eighth king and yet is one of the seven and he goes his way into perdition.

World English Bible
The beast that was, and is not, is himself also an eighth, and is of the seven; and he goes to destruction.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and the beast that was, and is not, he also is eighth, and he is out of the seven, and he goes away to destruction.

Berean Literal Bible
And the beast which was, and is not, is also himself an eighth, and is of the seven, and goes into destruction.

Young's Literal Translation
and the beast that was, and is not, he also is eighth, and out of the seven he is, and to destruction he doth go away.

Smith's Literal Translation
And the wild beast which was, and is not, and this is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goes forward into perdition.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And the beast which was, and is not: the same also is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into destruction.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And the beast who was, and is not, the same is also the eighth, and he is of the seven, and he goes forth unto destruction.

New American Bible
The beast that existed once but exists no longer is an eighth king, but really belongs to the seven and is headed for destruction.

New Revised Standard Version
As for the beast that was and is not, it is an eighth but it belongs to the seven, and it goes to destruction.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And the wild beast that was, and no longer is, even he is the eighth, and is one of the seven destined to be destroyed.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
“And The Dragon, and The Beast which it brought and is not, also is the eighth, and is of the seven, and is going to destruction.”
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goes to perdition.

Godbey New Testament
The beast which was, and is not, and the same is the eighth, and is of the seven, and is going into perdition.

Haweis New Testament
And the beast which was, and is not, though he is himself the eighth, yet is of the seven, and shall go away into perdition.

Mace New Testament
the beast that was, and is not, is himself the eighth: he is of the seven, and shall be destroy'd.

Weymouth New Testament
And the Wild Beast which once existed but does not now exist--he is an eighth king and yet is one of the seven and he goes his way into perdition.

Worrell New Testament
And the beast that was, and is not, even he is an eighth, and is of the seven, and goes into perdition.

Worsley New Testament
And the beast that was, and is not, he is the eighth, and is as one of the seven, and goeth into perdition.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Mystery Explained
10There are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, and the other has not yet come; but when he does come, he must remain for only a little while. 11 The beast that was, and now is not, is an eighth king, who belongs to the other seven and is going into destruction. 12The ten horns you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but will receive one hour of authority as kings, along with the beast.…

Cross References
Daniel 7:7-8
After this, as I watched in my vision in the night, suddenly a fourth beast appeared, and it was terrifying—dreadful and extremely strong—with large iron teeth. It devoured and crushed; then it trampled underfoot whatever was left. It was different from all the beasts before it, and it had ten horns. / While I was contemplating the horns, suddenly another horn, a little one, came up among them, and three of the first horns were uprooted before it. This horn had eyes like those of a man and a mouth that spoke words of arrogance.

Daniel 7:23-25
This is what he said: ‘The fourth beast is a fourth kingdom that will appear on the earth, different from all the other kingdoms, and it will devour the whole earth, trample it down, and crush it. / And the ten horns are ten kings who will rise from this kingdom. After them another king, different from the earlier ones, will rise and subdue three kings. / He will speak out against the Most High and oppress the saints of the Most High, intending to change the appointed times and laws; and the saints will be given into his hand for a time, and times, and half a time.

Revelation 13:1-3
Then I saw a beast with ten horns and seven heads rising out of the sea. There were ten royal crowns on its horns and blasphemous names on its heads. / The beast I saw was like a leopard, with the feet of a bear and the mouth of a lion. And the dragon gave the beast his power and his throne and great authority. / One of the heads of the beast appeared to have been mortally wounded. But the mortal wound was healed, and the whole world marveled and followed the beast.

Revelation 13:11-12
Then I saw another beast rising out of the earth. This beast had two horns like a lamb, but spoke like a dragon. / And this beast exercised all the authority of the first beast and caused the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose mortal wound had been healed.

Daniel 2:40-43
Finally, there will be a fourth kingdom as strong as iron; for iron shatters and crushes all things, and like iron that crushes all things, it will shatter and crush all the others. / And just as you saw that the feet and toes were made partly of fired clay and partly of iron, so this will be a divided kingdom, yet some of the strength of iron will be in it—just as you saw the iron mixed with clay. / And as the toes of the feet were partly iron and partly clay, so this kingdom will be partly strong and partly brittle. ...

2 Thessalonians 2:3-4
Let no one deceive you in any way, for it will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness—the son of destruction—is revealed. / He will oppose and exalt himself above every so-called god or object of worship. So he will seat himself in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God.

Revelation 19:20
But the beast was captured along with the false prophet, who on its behalf had performed signs deceiving those who had the mark of the beast and worshiped its image. Both the beast and the false prophet were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur.

Revelation 12:3
Then another sign appeared in heaven: a huge red dragon with seven heads, ten horns, and seven royal crowns on his heads.

Revelation 13:7-8
Then the beast was permitted to wage war against the saints and to conquer them, and it was given authority over every tribe and people and tongue and nation. / And all who dwell on the earth will worship the beast—all whose names have not been written from the foundation of the world in the Book of Life belonging to the Lamb who was slain.

Daniel 8:23-25
In the latter part of their reign, when the rebellion has reached its full measure, an insolent king, skilled in intrigue, will come to the throne. / His power will be great, but it will not be his own. He will cause terrible destruction and succeed in whatever he does. He will destroy the mighty men along with the holy people. / Through his craft and by his hand, he will cause deceit to prosper, and in his own mind he will make himself great. In a time of peace he will destroy many, and he will even stand against the Prince of princes. Yet he will be broken off, but not by human hands.

Revelation 11:7
When the two witnesses have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up from the Abyss will wage war with them, and will overpower and kill them.

Revelation 16:13-14
And I saw three unclean spirits that looked like frogs coming out of the mouths of the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet. / These are demonic spirits that perform signs and go out to all the kings of the earth, to assemble them for battle on the great day of God the Almighty.

Revelation 19:19
Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth with their armies assembled to wage war against the One seated on the horse, and against His army.

Daniel 11:36-39
Then the king will do as he pleases and will exalt and magnify himself above every god, and he will speak monstrous things against the God of gods. He will be successful until the time of wrath is completed, for what has been decreed must be accomplished. / He will show no regard for the gods of his fathers, nor for the one desired by women, nor for any other god, because he will magnify himself above them all. / And in their place, he will honor a god of fortresses—a god his fathers did not know—with gold, silver, precious stones, and riches. ...

Revelation 14:9-11
And a third angel followed them, calling out in a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives its mark on his forehead or on his hand, / he too will drink the wine of God’s anger, poured undiluted into the cup of His wrath. And he will be tormented in fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb. / And the smoke of their torment rises forever and ever. Day and night there is no rest for those who worship the beast and its image, or for anyone who receives the mark of its name.”


Treasury of Scripture

And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goes into perdition.

that was.

Revelation 17:8
The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.

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Beast Belongs Destruction Eighth Exist Existed Goes Once Perdition Seven Way Wild
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Beast Belongs Destruction Eighth Exist Existed Goes Once Perdition Seven Way Wild
Revelation 17
1. A woman arrayed in purple and scarlet, with a golden cup in her hand sits upon the beast;
5. which is great Babylon, the mother of all abominations.
9. The interpretation of the seven heads;
12. and the ten horns.
14. The victory of the Lamb.
16. The punishment of the harlot.














The beast that was, and is not
This phrase captures the enigmatic nature of the beast, reflecting its temporary power and influence. In the Greek, "was" (ἦν) and "is not" (οὐκ ἔστιν) suggest a past existence and a current non-existence, indicating a rise and fall. Historically, this can be seen as a reference to empires or rulers who once held power but have since diminished. Theologically, it symbolizes the transient nature of evil and its inability to sustain itself against the eternal sovereignty of God.

is himself an eighth king
The "eighth king" signifies a new phase or manifestation of the beast's power. In biblical numerology, the number eight often represents new beginnings or a new order. This suggests that the beast, though seemingly defeated, will re-emerge in a new form. This aligns with the historical cycles of oppressive regimes that rise, fall, and sometimes reappear in different guises. It serves as a reminder of the persistent nature of evil in the world, yet also of its ultimate defeat.

He belongs to the seven
This phrase indicates a connection or continuity with the previous seven kings. The Greek word for "belongs" (ἐκ) implies origin or source, suggesting that the eighth king is not entirely new but is derived from the same line or spirit as the previous seven. This can be seen as a warning of the recurring nature of certain ideologies or powers that oppose God's kingdom. It emphasizes the need for vigilance and discernment among believers.

and is going into destruction
The finality of the beast's fate is captured in this phrase. The Greek word for "destruction" (ἀπώλεια) denotes ruin or loss, signifying the ultimate end of the beast's power. Historically, this reflects the downfall of empires that have opposed God's will. Scripturally, it assures believers of the eventual triumph of God's justice. This serves as an encouragement to remain steadfast in faith, knowing that all evil will ultimately be vanquished.

(11) And the beast . . .--Better, And the wild beast which was, and is not, even he himself is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into destruction. The wild beast himself, forming as it were an eighth, has to be reckoned with. There are seven heads; when these fall no eighth head will rise, but the wild beast, whose vitality has been seen in these successive heads, forms, as it were, an eighth, which is "out of the seven"--not one of them, but one rising out of them; no eighth empire shall rise, but the wild beast, now smitten in all the seven heads of his power, will, in the convulsive death-throe, seem an eighth power, in which the ebbing life of all the seven finds expression. The wild beast linked itself with seven great empires in succession: these all fell; the wild beast is left, as an eighth: then "the wild beast goes into destruction." As an illustration, we may recall her whom the seven brothers had as wife; last of all the woman, the eighth, which was of the seven, died also. It has been noticed that the wild beast does not "fall," like the others, "but goes into destruction;" there are no more world-powers like those who have fallen, but the wild beast is left, a last power reserved for destruction, a final antichrist, the lawless one whom the Lord will destroy with the brightness of His coming (2Thessalonians 2:3). This fierce and last flickering up of the doomed power of evil is dwelt on again in Revelation 20:7-10.

Verse 11. - And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition; and the beast (neuter, θηρίον) that was and is not, he himself is also an eighth (masculine), and is of (ἐκ, out of) the seven, etc. We may note

(1) that "eighth" refers to "king" in ver. 10, being masculine gender;

(2) the absence of the article before ὄγδος, "eighth," shows that this is not the eighth in a successive series, in which the kings already mentioned form the first seven. The Revised Version probably gives the correct meaning, "is of the seven;" that is, the beast himself consists of, and is formed by, what has been denoted by the seven kings. We have already interpreted the beast as the worldly power - Satan in his capacity of "prince of this world." We have also shown that the "seven kings" describes this worldly power as it exists throughout all ages. This verse, therefore, sums up and reasserts briefly what has been already virtually intimated in the symbolism employed, viz. that the beast is the sum total of what has been described under the form of five kings, then one king, and then one king again (ver. 10). His final doom is also reasserted, "he goeth into perdition" (cf. ver. 8 and Revelation 19:20)

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
The
τὸ (to)
Article - Nominative Neuter Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

beast
θηρίον (thērion)
Noun - Nominative Neuter Singular
Strong's 2342: Properly: a wild beast, hence: any animal; met: a brute. Diminutive from the same as thera; a dangerous animal.

that
(ho)
Personal / Relative Pronoun - Nominative Neuter Singular
Strong's 3739: Who, which, what, that.

was,
ἦν (ēn)
Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1510: I am, exist. The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist.

and [now]
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

is
ἔστιν (estin)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1510: I am, exist. The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist.

not,
οὐκ (ouk)
Adverb
Strong's 3756: No, not. Also ouk, and ouch a primary word; the absolute negative adverb; no or not.

is
ἐστιν (estin)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1510: I am, exist. The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist.

himself
αὐτὸς (autos)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

an eighth [king].
ὄγδοός (ogdoos)
Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3590: The eighth, one of eight, with seven others. From oktos; the eighth.

He belongs to
ἐστιν (estin)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1510: I am, exist. The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist.

the [other]
τῶν (tōn)
Article - Genitive Masculine Plural
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

seven
ἑπτά (hepta)
Adjective - Genitive Masculine Plural
Strong's 2033: Seven. A primary number; seven.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

is going
ὑπάγει (hypagei)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 5217: To go away, depart, begone, die. From hupo and ago; to lead under, i.e. Withdraw or retire, literally or figuratively.

into
εἰς (eis)
Preposition
Strong's 1519: A primary preposition; to or into, of place, time, or purpose; also in adverbial phrases.

destruction.
ἀπώλειαν (apōleian)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 684: Destruction, ruin, loss, perishing; eternal ruin. From a presumed derivative of apollumi; ruin or loss.


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NT Prophecy: Revelation 17:11 The beast that was and is not (Rev. Re Apocalypse)
Revelation 17:10
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