¹⁴ Do everything without ·complaining [grumbling] or arguing. ¹⁵ Then you will be ·innocent [blameless] and ·without any wrong [innocent; pure; harmless], God’s children without ·fault [blemish; ^Cas are sacrificial animals]. ·But you are living with people that are crooked and evil [^L…in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation; Deut. 32:5], among whom you shine like stars in the ·dark world [or sky; ^Lworld]. ¹⁶ You ·offer [or hold firmly/fast to] the ·teaching that gives life [message/word of life]. So ·when Christ comes again [^Lon the day of Christ; ^Cjudgment day], I can ·be happy [^Lbe proud; boast] because I ·ran the race and won [^Ldid not run for nothing/in vain]. ·My work was not wasted [^L…nor did I labor for nothing/in vain].

¹⁷ Your faith makes you offer your lives as a sacrifice in serving God. [^LEven] If I ·have to offer my own blood [^Lam poured out as a drink offering] with your sacrifice, I will be ·happy [rejoicing] and full of joy with all of you. ¹⁸ You also should be ·happy [rejoicing] and full of joy with me.