Tattoos - What does the Bible say about tattoos?

Why do people get tattoos?
In our contemporary world there are a variety of reasons an individual may choose to tattoo their skin: self-expression, commemoration of an event or individual, expression of beliefs, identity, belonging to a group, fashion, status symbol, sometimes to hide a scar on their skin, and other reasons.

In the Old Testament
In ancient times, especially as we see in the Old Testament, marking, disfiguring, tattooing and cutting was a common form of worship by tribes and groups. In the Old Testament God clearly instructed His people and especially His priests not to cut or mark their bodies. God did not want His people engaging in such practices that were used by other tribes as an expression of worship towards their gods.

Leviticus 19:27-28
27 You shall not shave around the sides of your head, nor shall you disfigure the edges of your beard.
28 You shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor tattoo any marks on you: I am the LORD.

Leviticus 21:5
They shall not make any bald place on their heads, nor shall they shave the edges of their beards nor make any cuttings in their flesh.

Deuteronomy 14:1-2
1 "You are the children of the LORD your God; you shall not cut yourselves nor shave the front of your head for the dead.
2 For you are a holy people to the LORD your God, and the LORD has chosen you to be a people for Himself, a special treasure above all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.

In the New Testament
The New Testament does not state anything specifically about tattoos. In the New Testament we have the instruction to glorify God in our bodies, which have been bought by God and now have the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit. It is up to the individual believer on how best to glorify God in their body, living righteously, with or without tattoos. We personally, do not judge or condemn a believer who has tattoos.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20
19 Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?
20 For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's.

There are times an individual as an unbeliever may tattoo their skin. Later, they become believers in Jesus Christ. It is practically not possible for them to remove the tattoos they had before becoming a believer. They pray and consecrate their entire being-spirit, soul, body-to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. While the tattoos may remain, they wholly and completely belong to the Lord (1 Corinthians 6:20). We should not in any way look down on them simply because of their tattooed appearance.

Tattoos - What does the Bible say about tattoos?

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