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Revelation 17:8
ESV 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.
NIV 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 he once was, now is not, and yet will come.
NASB The beast that you saw was, and is not, and is about to come up out of the abyss and go to destruction. And those who live on the earth, whose names have not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, will wonder when they see the beast, that he was, and is not, and will come.
CSB 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.
NLT 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.
KJV 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.

What does Revelation 17:8 mean?

John has been called to see a vision (Revelation 17:1–6), leaving him amazed. The angel who brought John into this vision plans to explain these symbols (Revelation 17:7).

In this verse the angel identifies the scarlet beast (Revelation 17:3) and predicts its future. The beast supports the woman, religious Babylon (Revelation 17:4–6). This creature is said to have a known past, present, and future. This description connects with the description found in Revelation 13:3 of the Antichrist having had a mortal wound that was healed. He arises from the bottomless pit, the location of demons, which points to his power as satanic.

In contrast, a few Bible teachers believe this description points to Judas Iscariot. He betrayed Jesus after Satan had entered his heart. Later, he committed suicide. Acts 1:24–25 describes this, in part, as Judas "go[ing] to his own place." These teachers interpret "his own place" to mean the bottomless pit, suggesting this to be a unique place reserved for Judas, the betrayer.

Another interpretation, which we think seems best, is to apply the beast's past, present, and future tenses to the Roman empire that collapsed in the past, experienced a time of non-existence, and which will emerge in the tribulation as the Revived Roman Empire, finally destroyed when Jesus returns to earth.

According to Revelation 17:8 the whole world, with the exception of believers, will be astonished at the beast's revived presence and power.
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