Linus is a name found in the King James Bible, appearing 1 time in the text.
Who This Was
Linus was a Christian mentioned by the Apostle Paul in his second letter to Timothy, likely a leader in the early church. He appears only once in Scripture, at the close of Paul’s final recorded letter, where the apostle sends greetings from several believers in Rome to Timothy in Ephesus. The verse reads: “Do thy diligence to come before winter. Eubulus greeteth thee, and Pudens, and Linus, and Claudia, and all the brethren” (2 Timothy 4:21).
The setting is poignant. Paul wrote this letter from prison, near the end of his life, expecting soon to be executed for his faith. In the midst of that darkness, he thought of Timothy and urged him to come quickly, before winter made travel dangerous. Alongside that urgent request, Paul passed along greetings from a small circle of faithful believers who remained with him—Eubulus, Pudens, Linus, Claudia, and “all the brethren.” Linus was among those who stayed near the imprisoned apostle when others had abandoned him.
Scripture tells us nothing else about Linus—not his background, his role, or his later life. He simply appears as one of the faithful few who stood with Paul in his final days. The source note suggests he was likely a leader in the early church, but the Bible itself records only his name and his greeting. What we know for certain is that he was present, faithful, and counted among the brethren who cared for Paul at the end.
The Name
The name Linus is of Greek origin, and its meaning is not clearly recoverable from the text itself. Some suggest it may be connected to a Greek word for “flax” or “linen,” but this connection is uncertain and debated among scholars. Because the name’s meaning is not well established, we should not press a definite interpretation upon it. What matters more than the etymology is that Linus was a real believer whose name was preserved in Scripture as one who stood with Paul.
A Closing Thought
Linus is one of those quiet figures who appear for a single verse and then vanish from the record. He preached no recorded sermon, performed no recorded miracle, and left no recorded words. Yet his name is in the Bible because he was there—present with Paul when presence mattered most. Most of us will never be famous or widely remembered, but we can be faithful. Sometimes the greatest thing we can do is simply show up, stand beside someone in their hardest hour, and be counted among the brethren. That is no small legacy.
At a Glance
- Gender: Male
- Testament: New
- Mentions in the KJV: 1
Where It Appears in Scripture
- 2 Timothy 4:21 — Do thy diligence to come before winter. Eubulus greeteth thee, and Pudens, and Linus, and Claudia, and all the brethren.