he came near death

Paul here speaks of death as if it were a place that one could go to. (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor)

fill up what you could not do in service to me

Paul speaks of his needs as if they were a container that Epaphroditus filled with good things for Paul. (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor)