^15 (A) Then you will be the pure and innocent children of God. You live among people who are crooked and evil, but you must not do anything they can say is wrong. Try to shine as lights among the people of this world,

¹⁶ as you hold firmly to^[a] the message that gives life. Then on the day when Christ returns, I can take pride in you. I can also know that my work and efforts were not useless.