What were the pagan heathens like that Paul was trying to reach with the gospel?
They were content to worship their gods of wood and stone, and Paul suffered constantly and extremely to bring them the gospel, even unto death in Rome. He did not give up, but kept going despite their idolatrous contentment. This was the pagan heathen world he sought to reach.
Les explains that these pagan heathens were so content to worship their gods of wood and stone that Paul's labor among them was marked by constant suffering. He asks what kept Paul from giving up and going back home to Tarsus, but Paul did not quit; he kept on until Rome itself put him to death. The gospel went out to idolaters who were satisfied with gods of wood and stone, yet Paul endured to the end.