Paul was rejected by the Asian churches because they turned away from him and from his gospel of grace, preferring other leaders and teachings.
Paul himself records this in 2 Timothy 1:15: "all they which are in Asia be turned away from me." Les Feldick explains that these were the very congregations Paul had founded in Asia Minor through his gospel of grace and knowledge of the mysteries. Les connects this rejection to the pattern seen in Corinth, where believers said they would listen to Peter rather than Paul because Peter had actually walked with Christ. As a result, Paul constantly had to defend his apostleship.
2 Timothy 1:15 — Paul explicitly states that all the believers in Asia turned away from him — the direct scriptural answer to the question.
2 Corinthians 12:15 — Shows Paul's sacrificial love for the churches was not returned, a pattern of rejection he experienced.
1 Corinthians 1:12 — Documents the divisions in the early church where believers chose leaders like Paul, Apollos, and Peter.
The Bible records Paul's rejection plainly. In 2 Timothy 1:15 Paul writes, "This thou knowest, that all they which are in Asia be turned away from me; of whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes." The context is Paul's final imprisonment, and the verse indicates that the believers in the Roman province of Asia—the region where Paul had planted so many churches—had deserted him. Scripture also shows the broader pattern of Paul's suffering in ministry. In 2 Corinthians 12:15 Paul says, "And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved." And in 1 Corinthians 1:12 the church was already dividing over personalities: "Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ." These verses reveal that Paul's rejection was not only from outside enemies but also from within the churches he loved.
Les Feldick takes Paul's words in 2 Timothy 1:15 literally: every congregation Paul had founded in Asia Minor had turned aside from him. He explains that "Asia" in Paul's terminology was the western half of modern Turkey, the area where Paul had established churches such as Ephesus, Thyatira, Pergamos, Derbe, Lystra, and Antioch of Pisidia. According to Les, these were churches that Paul had birthed "in his gospel of grace and in the knowledge of the mysteries," and yet they had now turned away, with Phygellus and Hermogenes leading the apostasy. Les connects this to a larger pattern in Paul's ministry. He notes that Paul's affection was often not returned—the Corinthians said, "We're not going to listen to that man, we're going to listen to Peter," because Peter had been with Christ and Paul never was. This is why, Les observes, Paul had to defend his apostleship throughout his letters. Les also points out that Paul was hounded by his enemies from city to city, and that from the beginning Paul was sent in the opposite direction from Peter and the Jerusalem apostles—a calling that created constant tension and opposition. For Les, the Asian churches' rejection is not a mystery: it is the tragic fruit of believers turning away from Paul's unique revelation of grace, preferring other teachers and other messages.
Les explains that in Paul's vocabulary, "Asia" means Asia Minor — the western half of modern Turkey. It was the region where Paul founded churches such as Ephesus, Thyatira, Pergamos, Derbe, Lystra, and Antioch of Pisidia. These are the congregations Paul says in 2 Timothy 1:15 had all turned away from him, and their leaders were Phygellus and Hermogenes.
Both Scripture and Les's teaching point to the believers' preference for other leaders. In 1 Corinthians 1:12, believers were saying, "I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ." Les notes that the Corinthians openly said they would listen to Peter instead of Paul, reasoning that Peter had been with Christ and Paul never was. This is why, as Les stresses, Paul constantly had to defend his apostleship in every letter — because believers were questioning his authority and turning to other teachers.
Paul did not quit. Les points out that although Paul was perplexed, persecuted, and driven from city to city, he was never forsaken. In 2 Corinthians 12:15, Paul said he would gladly spend and be spent for the believers even though the more he loved them, the less he was loved. Les also notes that the Lord encouraged Paul in Corinth, telling him not to run from his enemies because God had many people in that city. Paul's response to rejection was continued, sacrificial service.
Pattern of Rejection: Corinth Prefers Peter
Les explains that Paul's love for the Corinthians was repaid with rejection; they openly preferred Peter because Peter had walked with Christ and Paul had not. This illustrates the pattern of rejection Paul faced.
All Asia Turned Away from Paul
Les teaches that 2 Timothy 1:15 means every church Paul founded in Asia Minor had turned away from his gospel of grace, led by Phygellus and Hermogenes.
Enemies Pursued Paul City to City
Les shows Paul was followed by enemies from city to city who stirred up hatred instead of the envy Paul had hoped for.
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.
Carnal Problems in Paul's Churches
Les describes the divisions, lawsuits, immorality, and disorder in the Corinthian church, showing that even Paul's own congregations were spiritually immature.
Persecution and Perseverance
Les notes that Paul was perplexed and persecuted, driven from city to city, yet he never gave up because God had assured him of people in Corinth.
Paul's Constant Defense of His Apostleship
Les emphasizes that throughout Paul's letters he had to defend his apostleship because believers were dividing over whether to follow Paul, Apollos, Peter, or Christ.
Sent Opposite to Peter
Les explains Paul was sent in the opposite direction from Peter and the apostles, which set up the tension and misunderstanding around Paul's ministry.
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 is the key verse: Paul states that all the believers in Asia had turned away from him.
2 Corinthians 12:15: And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved.
Shows how Paul's sacrificial love was met with coldness by those he served.
1 Corinthians 1:12: Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ.
Reveals the partisan spirit in the early church, where believers claimed different leaders including Paul and Peter.
Yes — 2 Timothy 1:15 records Paul's statement that all in Asia had turned away from him. Les explains this meant the congregations Paul had founded in Asia Minor, including Ephesus, Thyatira, and Derbe, had turned aside from his gospel of grace.
According to Les, the rejection fits a pattern Paul faced everywhere: believers preferred other teachers—especially Peter, who had been with Christ—and Paul had to keep defending his apostleship. They turned away from his distinctive message of grace and the mysteries.
He kept serving. As Les notes, Paul was willing to spend and be spent for the believers even when his love was not returned, and though he was persecuted and driven from city to city, he did not give up.
Watch the Teaching: Why God's Strength Is Made Perfect in Weakness — 2 Corinthians 12:9