Revelation 17:8

Was and is not (hn kai ouk estin). Imperfect and present of eimi, an apparent antithesis to o hn kai o wn of Revelation 1:4 . This is a picture of the beast of Revelation 13:1 which the woman is riding, but no longer just the empire, but one of the emperors who died (ouk estin, is not). And is about to come up out of the abyss (kai mellei anabainein ek th abussou). That is, he is going to come to life again. And to go into perdition (kai ei apwleian upagei). So (and he goes into perdition) the best MSS. read rather than the infinitive upagein. Most interpreters see here an allusion to the "Nero redivivus" expectancy realized in Domitian, who was ruling when John wrote and who was called Nero redivivus. Shall wonder (qaumasqhsontai). First future passive (deponent) of qaumazw, with which compare eqaumasqh in Revelation 13:3 . John had wondered (eqaumasa) in verse Revelation 17:6 "with the amazement of a horrible surprise; the world will wonder and admire" (Swete). Whose name (wn onoma). Singular onoma, like ptwma in Revelation 11:8 . See Revelation 13:8 for the same description of those who worship the beast and for discussion of details. When they behold (blepontwn). Genitive plural of the present active participle of blepw, agreeing with wn (genitive relative) rather than with oi katoikounte (nominative just before wn). How that (oti). "Namely that." He was, and is not, and shall come (hn kai ouk estin kai parestai). Repetition of what is in verse Revelation 7 with parestai (future of pareimi, from which parousia comes) in place of mellei, "parody of the divine name" (Charles) in Rev 1:4 Rev 1:8 ; Revelation 4:8 , "as the hellish antitype of Christ." The Neronic Antichrist has also a parousia.