The term “governing body” as such is not found in the Scriptures. However, there is ample evidence that a body of elders serving in a governing capacity did exist in the first-century Christian congregation.

Paul admonished his fellow Christians: “Remember those who are taking the lead among you. . . . Be obedient to those who are taking the lead among you and be submissive.” Or, as other translations put it, remember and obey ‘those guiding you.’ (Authorized Version, margin; Murdock’s Syriac; Rotherham) The Kingdom Interlinear reads: “Be you mindful of the ones governing [Gr., he·gou·meʹnon] of you.”​—Heb. 13:7, 17, 24.

Forms of this same Greek word are found at Matthew 2:6; Luke 22:26; Acts 7:10; 15:22, where the meaning is similar, namely, that of governing, acting as chief or taking the lead. The Septuagint uses a form of this word in rendering Malachi 1:8: “Bring it near, please, to your governor [Gr., he·gou·meʹnōi].”

Thus, it is evident that there were certain persons governing in the Christian congregation by the lead and guidance they gave their brothers in righteous works and godly principles.

And what was true of the local congregations was clearly necessary for the directing of the Christian work in general. So it was that the apostles and other elders in Jerusalem served as a body to give guidance and counsel to all the congregations.

By means of holy spirit and by the visible governing body composed of elders “governing” or “taking the lead” (Gr., he·gou·meʹnōn) according to God’s written Word, Jesus Christ governs the worldwide group of Jehovah’s witnesses on earth today.​—Heb. 13:17, Interlinear; also New World Translation of the Christian Greek Scriptures, of 1950.