What does the Bible say about Tattoos?

What does the Bible say about tattoos? Are Christian tattoos okay?

The Bible Answer

(Leviticus 19:28)  Do not cut your bodies for the dead or put tattoo marks on yourselves. I am the Lord.

Based on this Scripture in Leviticus, the Bible is clear about getting inked. It’s a no-no. However, because this Scripture comes from the Old Testament Laws, there are people who still believe getting tatted up is okay for a Christian.

That’s The Old Testament

The New Testament is silent on the subject. Due to this silence, some will say since we no longer live under the Laws of the Old Testament, a tattoo is okay to have. It is true Christians are no longer under the Law. Even so, some things commanded by God in the Old Testament still apply to us today.

Looking at just a few of the Ten Commandments, you can quickly find examples of how some commands from God go beyond just the temporary roll the Law played in the history of Israel. The commandments not to steal, not to murder, and to honor your father and mother come from the Old Testament, yet they still apply to us today.

No Wine In The Old Testament Tent, Or The New Testament Church

It has been said that commandments such as “Do not steal or murder” are different because they can also be found in the New Testament, whereas tattoos cannot. The following is an example that, just like tattoos, is not mentioned in the New Testament. In (Leviticus 10:9) a command is given by God not to drink wine in the tent of meeting. The tent of meeting is where Moses and others would meet with God. This is what we would call our Church house today.

It’s not a stretch to assume it would still be frowned upon by God, and most people, to have someone drinking alcohol in the Church, even if the only time it is commanded in the Bible is part of the Old Testament Law that we no longer live under. These types of examples could go on and on.

There are parts of the Law that reveal to us what God thinks about things such as tattoos. While we are no longer bound to the things in the Law such as animal sacrifices, if a subject such as tattoos is only mentioned once in the whole Bible, whether it was technically in the Law or not, I think it would be safe to say God does not approve of it when his only command on the matter was not to do it.

What About Christian Tattoos?

Some may have good intentions with their idea of a Christian tattoo. It could be a cross, or their favorite Scripture. It is sometimes thought that maybe a little ink that is Christian in nature would open doors to witness to certain individuals. Again, maybe the intention is good, but permanent designs in the skin isn’t necessary to be an effective witness for Christ. God only spoke about tattoos one time in the Bible, with a clear message of being against them.

As a Christian, the life we live in front of others when we allow God’s Spirit to work in us, this will be the greatest witness we will ever have. All of the Scriptures from the Bible that a person could manage to have tattooed on the outside of their body will never be able to accomplish what God’s Spirit living on the inside of a Christian can do.