Devine Scripture

Revelation 17:11

What does Revelation 17:11 mean?

A plain-English look at Revelation 17:11 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What Revelation 17:11 means

The beast that “was, and is not” is paradoxically an eighth and yet “of the seven.” This says the climactic antichristian power both continues the character of previous regimes and surpasses them in a final, consolidated form. Its essence is the same old rebellion, but its appearance is intensified and more comprehensive. Still, its end is certain: “he goeth into perdition.” Evil is permitted to ripen, not to endure. The verse reassures readers that even the ultimate worldly coalition is not ultimate in time or authority; it carries within itself the sentence of destruction ordained by God.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

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

KJV

King James Version · 1611

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

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

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

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

And the beast which was, and is not, is himself the eighth, and is of the seven; and he goes into destruction.

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

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.

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

And the beast which was and is not: the same also is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into destruction.

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

And the beast that was and is not, he also is an eighth, and is of the seven, and goes into destruction.

Context

This verse summarizes and sharpens the timeline: after the succession of kings, a final phase arises that is both continuous with and distinct from the earlier ones. With that expectation set, the angel turns to the ten horns in verse 12, representing additional kings who will join forces with the beast for a short season. The narrative is moving toward the confrontation with the Lamb (verse 14) and the self-destruction of the harlot’s system (verses 16–17).

v.10and they are seven kings; the five are fallen, the one is, the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a little while.

v.11This passage

v.12And the ten horns that thou sawest are ten kings, who have received no kingdom as yet; but they receive authority as kings, with the beast, for one hour.

Cross references

Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

  • Revelation 17:8

    The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and is about to come up out of the abyss, and to go into perdition. And they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, they whose name hath not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast, how that he was, and is not, and shall come.

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