Paul's efforts produced both remarkable success and heartbreaking loss: many Gentiles came to faith and churches were planted, yet he suffered greatly and eventually all those in Asia turned away from him.
The evidence shows Paul had a tremendous response, establishing churches throughout Asia Minor, Greece, and Rome, and his preaching of Christ's death, burial, and resurrection brought multitudes of pagans to faith. Yet by the time of his imprisonment he wrote that all those in Asia had turned away from him. His work also cost him beatings, stoning, shipwreck, and constant danger, all for the sake of the gospel.
2 Timothy 1:15 — Paul's own statement that all in Asia had turned away from him is the Bible's clearest statement about the later outcome of his work in that region.
1 Corinthians 15:3-4 — This records the essential gospel message Paul delivered to the Gentiles, showing what produced the response among them.
The Bible records that Paul delivered the message “how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). In 2 Timothy 1:15 he writes, “This thou knowest, that all they which are in Asia be turned away from me; of whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes.” Paul also testifies to the physical cost of his labors: “Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen” (2 Corinthians 11:25-26).
Les Feldick explains that Paul ministered among Gentiles for some twenty years or more and had a tremendous response, establishing churches throughout Asia Minor, Greece, and Rome (Clip 3). Paul's gospel—Christ died, was buried, and rose again for all sins including those of pagan Gentiles—brought multitudes of pagans to faith, and literally turned the Roman Empire upside down (Clips 2, 7). Yet when Paul was in prison, he wrote that all those in Asia—the region where he had founded churches such as Ephesus, Thyatira, Pergamos, Derbe, Lystra, and Antioch of Pisidia—turned away from him (Clip 1). Les stresses that if Jerusalem believers had succeeded in stopping Paul's Gentile ministry, there would have been no gospel of grace for Gentiles; “we wouldn't have any” (Clip 4). The same effort cost Paul beatings, stoning, shipwreck, and constant danger, all for the sake of the gospel (Clip 5).
Scripture and Les both show a twofold result. On the positive side, Paul had been ministering to Gentiles for some twenty years or more with tremendous response, establishing churches throughout Asia Minor, Greece, and Rome (Clip 3). He preached the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ, and out of that came multitudes of pagans, literally turning the Roman Empire upside down (Clips 2, 7). On the negative side, when Paul wrote 2 Timothy, he told Timothy that all those in Asia had turned away from him (Clip 1). Thus the result was both a great harvest and a painful loss.
Les explains that in Paul's terminology, Asia was the western half of modern Turkey, where Paul established many churches—Ephesus, Thyatira, Pergamos, Derbe, Lystra, and Antioch of Pisidia. Paul is saying that all these congregations, which he had founded in his gospel of grace and in the knowledge of the mysteries, had now turned aside (Clip 1).
Les points to Paul's own list in 2 Corinthians 11: “Three times I was beaten with rods... Once I was stoned... Three times I suffered shipwreck... In journeyings often... In perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen” (Clip 5). Les says all of this was “for the sake of the gospel.” The results—both the growth of churches and the eventual turning away—came at a tremendous physical and emotional cost.
The Deposit Kept and the Turning of Asia
Les connects Paul's deposit command to Timothy with the following verse about all in Asia turning away, showing that Paul expected the truth to be kept and productive.
All in Asia Turned Away
Les teaches that the churches Paul founded in Asia Minor had turned away from him, including Ephesus, Thyatira, Pergamos, Derbe, Lystra, and Antioch of Pisidia.
The Gospel Delivered to the Gentiles
Les says Paul delivered to the Corinthians the gospel that Christ died, was buried, and rose again for the sins of pagan Gentiles as well as Israel.
Twenty Years of Ministry to the Gentiles
Les recounts that after twenty years or more, Paul had a tremendous response and established churches throughout Asia Minor, Greece, and Rome, with Gentiles coming to knowledge of Israel's God.
The Stakes of Paul's Gentile Ministry
Les teaches that if Paul's ministry to Gentiles had been stopped, there would be no opportunity for Gentile salvation.
Paul's Sufferings for the Gospel
Les highlights Paul's beatings, stoning, shipwrecks, journeyings, and perils, saying it was all for the sake of the gospel.
Why Paul Said "We Are Not Ignorant of Satan's Devices" — 2 Corinthians 2:11
Paul has been ministering in western Turkey, which was then Asia Minor, and he had now gone up to Choas from the area of Derbe and Lystra, and then he had intended to go back to northern Turkey through the area around the Black Sea, and then hence to Asia. Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Spirit to preach the Word in Asia.
The Gospel Turning the Empire Upside Down
Les describes Paul entering an ungodly city and preaching Christ's death, burial, and resurrection, with multitudes of pagans coming out of it, and says he turned the Roman Empire upside down.
2 Timothy 1:15: This thou knowest, that all they which are in Asia be turned away from me; of whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes.
This verse records Paul's own statement that all the believers in Asia had turned away from him, directly showing the painful later result of his work.
1 Corinthians 15:3-4: For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
This is the gospel message Paul preached to the Gentiles, which produced the tremendous response among them.
2 Corinthians 11:25-26: Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren;
Paul summarizes the physical suffering he endured while spreading the gospel to the Gentiles.
Yes in the sense that it produced churches throughout Asia Minor, Greece, and Rome and brought multitudes of pagans to faith. Yet the Bible also records that later all those in Asia turned away from Paul, so the result was not without painful loss.
Les explains that Paul meant all the churches he had founded in western Turkey—Ephesus, Thyatira, Pergamos, Derbe, Lystra, and Antioch of Pisidia—had turned aside from him. These congregations had received the gospel of grace but by the time Paul wrote had left him.
No. The gospel he preached was the same message of Christ's death, burial, and resurrection. His suffering was part of the cost of delivering that message to the Gentiles.
Watch the Teaching: What the Bible Really Says About Suffering and Glory