Passage
He that is of God heareth the words of God. Therefore you hear them not, because you are not of God.
John 8:47 (DRB)
Nearby Context
John 8:45 But if I say the truth, you believe me not.
John 8:46 Which of you shall convince me of sin? If I say the truth to you, why do you not believe me:
John 8:47 He that is of God heareth the words of God. Therefore you hear them not, because you are not of God.
John 8:48 The Jews therefore answered and said to him: Do not we say well that thou art a Samaritan and hast a devil?
John 8:49 Jesus answered: I have not a devil: but I honour my Father. And you have dishonoured me.
Study Lenses
The verse centers on "heareth", "words", and "therefore". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "heareth" and "words", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.
The nearby context moves from verse 46's "Which of you shall convince me of..." into verse 48's "The Jews therefore answered and said to...", so "heareth" and "words" belong inside that flow. In John context, the local focus is the identity of Jesus, new birth, eternal life, and belief and unbelief.
A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "heareth" and "words" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.