Perhaps he was to have stayed with Paul to serve him, so the apostle apparently wanted to excuse his returning earlier than expected. — Philippians 2: 27.
Iespējams, bija paredzēts, ka Epafrodits paliks pie Pāvila un kalpos viņam, tāpēc apustulis acīmredzot gribēja attaisnot viņa negaidīti drīzo atgriešanos.