Passage
He who is of God hears the words of God. For this cause you don’t hear, because you are not of God.”
John 8:47 (WEB)
Nearby Context
John 8:45 But because I tell the truth, you don’t believe me.
John 8:46 Which of you convicts me of sin? If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me?
John 8:47 He who is of God hears the words of God. For this cause you don’t hear, because you are not of God.”
John 8:48 Then the Jews answered him, “Don’t we say well that you are a Samaritan, and have a demon?”
John 8:49 Jesus answered, “I don’t have a demon, but I honor my Father, and you dishonor me.
Study Lenses
The verse centers on "hears", "words", and "cause". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "hears" 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 convicts me of sin..." into verse 48's "Then the Jews answered him Don t...", so "hears" 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 "hears" and "words" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.