[Verses 15-18 are formed as a chiasm framed by the expression "you know," see verses 15 and 18. The second paragraph mentions the region of "Asia," and the second paragraph from the end mentions the city of "Ephesus," which was the capital of Asia. uses the word "mercy," which is also found in . Central to this is , where Onesiphorus sought and found Paul in Rom.] As you know
everybody in
[the province] Asia [present-day western Turkey, where Ephesus – where Timothy was located – was the capital] turned away from me,
among them Phygelus and Hermogenes.
[Timothy knew Phygelus and Hermogenes, perhaps they were Christian leaders in Ephesus. It is likely that they deviated both in terms of their ties to Paul and in terms of true doctrine. Paul also mentions Hymenaeus and Philetus a little later, see .] 
