Apostolic succession consists in bishops who received their priestly powers from the Apostles in an unbroken chain of successive bishop down through the centuries to us. Scripture demonstrates Apostolic succession. St. Peter admonished the elders of the Church in these terms: “To the elders among you I, a fellow elder…” (1 Pet 5:1). There were bishops governing the Church during the lifetime of the Apostles as they invested their priestly powers in their legitimate successors. St. Paul, together with Barnabas received their priestly powers through the laying on of hands (Acts 13:1-3).
Timothy had been ordained as a bishop by the “elders” (1 Tim 4:14). Bishop Timothy, in turn, ordained other bishops as ordered to do so by St. Paul. However, Paul warned him, “Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands…” (1 Tim 5:22). Bishops ordained by Bishop Timothy were legitimate successors of the Apostles, who were also commanded to go and preach the doctrine of Jesus to all. Jesus promised his Apostles that he would be with them until the end of the world (Mt 28:18-20). The Apostles understood the Will of Christ in this command, because they charged their legitimate successors to preach the Word of God at all costs (2 Tim 4:1-5).