Hebrews 13:17
Hebrews 13:1717Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they watch over your souls as those who must give an account. To this end, allow them to lead with joy and not with grief, for that would be of no advantage to you.
JWs cite "be obedient to those who are taking the lead among you and be submissive" as a proof text for unquestioning obedience to the Governing Body and local elders. The verse is used to discourage independent thinking, questioning organisational decisions, and researching information outside Watchtower publications. Obedience is framed as loyalty to Jehovah rather than to men.
The Greek peithesthe (translated "obey" in many versions) carries the sense of "be persuaded by" or "have confidence in" — it is the same root as pistis (faith/trust). The leaders described here "keep watch over your souls as those who will render an account" — they are accountable, not autocratic. The verse presupposes transparent, accountable leadership, not a body that admits fallibility (Feb 2017 Watchtower) while simultaneously forbidding members from consulting any source that might reveal its errors. A fallible authority that forbids external verification is indistinguishable from a deceptive one. Every NT reference to congregational leadership uses plural elders in each local church — , , — with mutual accountability ().