Note 6 at Col. 4:11: This statement of Paul's is not to be interpreted so narrowly as to imply that these people mentioned here are the only associates Paul ever had who had been a comfort to him. Timothy wasn't included in this list and yet Paul said of Timothy, "For I have no man likeminded, who will naturally care for your state" (Phil. 2:20). Certainly Timothy was a comfort to the Apostle Paul.

Paul is specifically speaking of the people who had been with him during his imprisonment in Rome. Of those men, Tychicus (v. 7), Onesimus (v. 9), Aristarchus and Marcus (v. 10), and Justus (v. 11) were the only ones who had comforted Paul.

Paul goes on to commend Epaphras in the next verse, so even though Epaphras didn't comfort Paul, the Apostle certainly thought well of him. Paul also mentions Luke and Demas in verse 14 as being with him and yet they weren't listed among those who comforted him. Apparently, this comfort of which Paul spoke was some special ministry which Paul appreciated, but he wasn't chiding those who didn't render this service.