John 8:20 (KJV)

Passage

These words spake Jesus in the treasury, as he taught in the temple: and no man laid hands on him; for his hour was not yet come.

Nearby Context

John 8:18 I am one that bear witness of myself, and the Father that sent me beareth witness of me.

John 8:19 Then said they unto him, Where is thy Father? Jesus answered, Ye neither know me, nor my Father: if ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also.

John 8:20 These words spake Jesus in the treasury, as he taught in the temple: and no man laid hands on him; for his hour was not yet come.

John 8:21 Then said Jesus again unto them, I go my way, and ye shall seek me, and shall die in your sins: whither I go, ye cannot come.

John 8:22 Then said the Jews, Will he kill himself? because he saith, Whither I go, ye cannot come.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "words", "spake", "jesus", "treasury", "taught", "temple", "laid", and "hands". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "words" and "spake", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 19's "Then said they unto him Where is..." into verse 21's "Then said Jesus again unto them I...", so "words" and "spake" 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 "words" and "spake" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.