^17:8The beast you saw was, and is not, but is about to come up from the abyss²¹ and then go to destruction. The²² inhabitants of the earth—all those whose names have not been written in the book of life since the foundation of the world—will be astounded when they see that²³ the beast was, and is not, but is to come.

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Footnotes

21 On this term ἄβυσσος 2 states, “netherworld, abyss, esp. the abode of the dead Ro 10:7 (Ps 106:26) and of demons Lk 8:31; dungeon where the devil is kept Rv 20:3; abode of the θηρίον, the Antichrist 11:7; 17:8; of Ἀβαδδών (), the angel of the underworld 9:11 … φρέαρ τῆς ἀ. 9:1f; capable of being sealed 9:1; 20:1, 3.”
22 Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
23 Some translations take the ὅτι (hoti) here as causal: “because he was, and is not, but is to come” (so , ), but it is much more likely that the subject of the ὅτι clause has been assimilated into the main clause: “when they see the beast, that he was …” = “when they see that the beast was” (so ὅτι 1.f, where Rev 17:8 is listed).

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

The beast that you saw was, and is not, and is about to rise from the bottomless pit and go to destruction. And the dwellers on earth whose names have not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world will marvel to see the beast, because it was and is not and is to come.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

The beast, which you saw, once was, now is not, and yet will come up out of the Abyss and go to its destruction. The inhabitants of the earth whose names have not been written in the book of life from the creation of the world will be astonished when they see the beast, because it once was, now is not, and yet will come.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

The beast that you saw was, and is not, and is about to come up from the abyss and go to destruction. Those who live on the earth whose names have not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world will be astonished when they see the beast that was, and is not, and is to come.

NLTNew Living Translation

The beast you saw was once alive but isn’t now. And yet he will soon come up out of the bottomless pit and go to eternal destruction. And the people who belong to this world, whose names were not written in the Book of Life before the world was made, will be amazed at the reappearance of this beast who had died.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

The beast that you saw was, and is not, and is going to come up from the abyss, and he is going to destruction. And those who live on the earth, whose names are not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, will be astonished when they see the beast that was, and is not, and will be present.

KJV 1900King James Version

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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