ones of the previous verse. Sociologically they are those of the faithful community who are to be contrasted with those of the world. But more significantly, they are also to be contrasted with those who have been severed from the Vine like the so-called apostates of the first epistle (1 John 2:19).214 The cleansing here is said to be “because of the word I have spoken to you.” Bultmann, who during his life was an unbending advocate of faith, employed the present verse to texts like 13:10 of the