John 8:48 (KJV)

Passage

Then answered the Jews, and said unto him, Say we not well that thou art a Samaritan, and hast a devil?

Nearby Context

John 8:46 Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me?

John 8:47 He that is of God heareth God’s words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.

John 8:48 Then answered the Jews, and said unto him, Say we not 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 ye do dishonour me.

John 8:50 And I seek not mine own glory: there is one that seeketh and judgeth.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "answered", "jews", "said", "well", "thou", "samaritan", "hast", and "devil". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "answered" and "jews", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 47's "He that is of God heareth God..." into verse 49's "Jesus answered I have not a devil...", so "answered" and "jews" 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 "answered" and "jews" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.