Revelation 17:11

11 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.

Revelation 17:11 Meaning and Commentary

Revelation 17:11

And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth,
&c.] That was in embryo in John's time, and yet was not come to its power and grandeur, is the eighth king; and this is the Papacy, which takes the name of the beast, because it is the head of the beast, and the only surviving head of the beast, or Roman empire, now become Papal:

and is of the seven;
one of the seven heads, and the last of them, and is an idolatrous one, as the rest were, requiring and encouraging the worship of angels, of the virgin Mary, and saints parted: the pope of Rome is the eighth king, and seventh head, the latter with respect to his temporal power, and the former with respect to his ecclesiastical authority; for his government is quite of a different sort from the rest, being of a mixed kind, partly civil, and partly ecclesiastical, and therefore is signified by two beasts in the thirteenth chapter:

and goes into perdition;
being the son of perdition, and is justly deserving of it; (See Gill on Revelation 17:8).

Revelation 17:11 In-Context

9 "This calls for wisdom and understanding. The seven heads are seven hills, on which the woman sits. They are also seven kings:

10 five of them have fallen, one still rules, and the other one has not yet come; when he comes, he must rule only a little while.

11 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.

12 "The ten horns you saw are ten kings who have not yet begun to rule, but who will be given authority to rule as kings for one hour with the beast.

13 These ten all have the same purpose, and they give their power and authority to the beast.