The clause had already appeared at the beginning of Revelation 17:8, be it that the third member of this triad (here: “is to come”) was there rendered as, “is about to rise from the bottomless pit.” Further, in the earlier rendering, a fourth component was added: “and go to destruction.” In the present form, the triad reminds the reader of the name of the Lord as revealed in Revelation 1:4, Revelation 1:8, and Revelation 4:8. This beast—the dragon’s assistant (Revelation 13:1)—seeks to copy the Lord and present himself as the Lord’s equal. His quasi-divine standing prompts the non-elect to marvel as they see it.
8 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.