11 The beast who once was, and now is not, ( AB) is an eighth king. Five have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come but when he does come, he must remain for only a little while. ( Z) The seven heads ( AA) are seven hills on which the woman sits. ( V) The inhabitants of the earth ( W) whose names have not been written in the book of life ( X) from the creation of the world will be astonished ( Y) when they see the beast, because it once was, now is not, and yet will come.ĩ “This calls for a mind with wisdom. ( T) 8 The beast, which you saw, once was, now is not, and yet will come up out of the Abyss ( U) and go to its destruction. 7 Then the angel said to me: “Why are you astonished? I will explain to you the mystery ( S) of the woman and of the beast she rides, which has the seven heads and ten horns.
When I saw her, I was greatly astonished. 6 I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of God’s holy people, ( R) the blood of those who bore testimony to Jesus.
