but to remain in the flesh is safer on account of you.

because the blessing is conferred on you in behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but indeed to suffer for him:

Yes truly, I even counted all things loss on account of the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for the sake of whom I suffer the loss of all things, and I consider them but excrements, that I may gain Christ,

For our citizenship is in the heavens; whence we are indeed looking for our Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:

But I have all things, and I abound: I am full, having received from Epaphroditus those things from you, an odor of a sweet savor, a sacrifice acceptable, well-pleasing to God.