2 TIM. 4:21 MAKE HASTE TO COME BEFORE WINTER. EUBULUS AND PUDENS, AND LINUS AND CLAUDIA, AND ALL THE BRETHREN, SALUTE THEE; THE EARLIEST WITNESS TO LINUS'S STATUS AS BISHOP WAS IRENAEUS, WHO IN ABOUT THE YEAR 180 WROTE, "THE BLESSED APOSTLES, THEN, HAVING FOUNDED AND BUILT UP THE CHURCH, COMMITTED INTO THE HANDS OF LINUS THE OFFICE OF THE EPISCOPATE."
