You are aware is literally “You know” (Good News Translation), an expression that denotes either probability (for example, “It is probable that you know”; compare Phillips “You will know, I expect”) or certainty; this latter option seems to explain the Good News Bible rendering. One may also express this as “I am sure that you know.” Another problem here is whether Timothy’s knowledge about this matter is from firsthand experience or simply from hearing about it. If from hearing about it, then one may say “I am sure that people have told you.” It is much more probable, however, that this knowledge comes from Timothy’s own observation; the Greek word for “know” (oida) favors this interpretation.

All is of course an exaggeration, as indicated by the mention in the very next verse of someone who did not forsake Paul. In most languages this kind of exaggeration is quite common, especially in direct speech, which is the case here. If, however, the tendency of readers is to understand all literally, then some restructuring needs to be done in order to avoid any misunderstanding. Perhaps one can say “almost all the Christians in the province of Asia.” Then verse 16 will indicate that at least one of them supported Paul. As to what all refers to is quite uncertain. Perhaps these are Asian Christians who are in Rome, where presumably Paul was. Or perhaps these are Christians in Ephesus (where Timothy was located) who have been asked by Paul to go to Rome and testify in his trial, but who have refused.

Asia here refers, not to the continent of Asia, but to Asia Minor, now a part of western Turkey (Asia is marked near the center of the map, page 6|fig:Map_Paul-12.jpg). At that time Asia Minor was a Roman province with Ephesus as its capital. See 1 Tim 1.3 on “province.” Phygelus and Hermogenes are mentioned only here in the whole New Testament.

Turned away (Good News Translation “deserted”) should not be taken to mean that some people have physically left. In the present context it denotes the act of repudiating someone and refusing to provide help in any way (compare Jerusalem Bible “refuse to have anything more to do with me”). Formerly these people were very friendly and cooperative, but now they have become antagonistic and refuse to help. Sometimes this may be expressed as “say that they don’t know me,” or even idiomatically; for example, “turned their backs on me,”

Determining the historical event that this verse is referring to is quite difficult, especially since, as we have noted, Phygelus and Hermogenes appear nowhere else in the New Testament. There is reference to a riot in Paul’s visit to Ephesus (Acts 19), but it is obvious that that event is not what is meant here. As noted above, it has been suggested by some scholars that this has reference to Paul’s trial in Rome, on which occasion he had appealed to Christians from Asia to testify on his behalf, but they had refused to do so. But this is all speculation, and it has to be admitted that exact information on this event is no longer available to us, although it is obvious that this was information that was known to Paul and Timothy, as well to many other members of the early church.

Quoted with permission from Arichea, Daniel C. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Paul’s Second Letter to Timothy. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1995. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .