“not as (though)17 in my presence only.” They have had a long history of obedience to Christ and the gospel, whether Paul was present or absent; now that he cannot be present, and some differences among them have arisen, he urges them to get on with their obedience “all the more so”18 in his absence,19 so that it would not appear as if his presence alone prompted them to obey. That brings him finally to the imperative, what all of this was aiming at in the first place: “Work out20 your own21 salvation.”