²⁰ I honestly expect and hope that I will never do anything to be ashamed of. Whether I live or die, I always want to be as brave as I am now and bring honor to Christ.

²¹ If I live, it will be for Christ, and if I die, I will gain even more. ²² I don’t know what to choose. I could keep on living and doing something useful. ²³ It is a hard choice to make. I want to die and be with Christ, because that would be much better. ^24-25 But I know that all of you still need me. That’s why I am sure I will stay on to help you grow and be happy in your faith.

²⁷ Above all else, you must live in a way that brings honor to the good news about Christ. Then, whether I visit you or not, I will hear that all of you think alike. I will know that you are working together and that you are struggling side by side to get others to believe the good news.