Aineo,
I was just answering your question about other dead saints that are in heaven to, and not just the beheaded saints that John saw. You asked,
"Why does Paul say asleep instead of with the Lord?"
Paul was refering to their physical bodys that are in the graves,for they will awaken at the trumpet call at the first resurrection. They are not asleep in heaven, but their dead physical bodys are that are in the graves, or "asleep" as Paul put it, and yes I have read John 17.