Beast was and is not
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. Revelation 17:8 Or The beast (carnal ego) that thou sawest was (past tense), and is not (doesn’t exist); and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit (no foundation to stand upon), and go into perdition (destruction): and they that dwell ON the earth (lived for their affections and lusts) shall wonder, whose names (false nature/not His) 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. See, for John the beast that he saw within himself was and is not for John had on the mind of Christ and believed in the nature (name) of Christ. See the nature (name) of Christ is the Word of life that is the Father! That which ...