What Does the Bible Say About Tattoos?

Is it sinful to get a tattoo?

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I have a keyword tool that helps me discover what questions people ask online and how many people search for a particular word or phrase.

One of the most commonly asked Bible questions online is, “What does the Bible say about tattoos?”

Since it’s a question that many people have - probably including some of you - let’s consider what the Bible has to say about tattoos and if there are any principles we can apply from God’s Word.

The growing popularity of tattoos.

You might not be surprised to learn that tattoos have exploded in popularity recently. One survey found that about 30% of the United States population has at least one tattoo; of this group, 92% have no regrets about getting their tattoos.

Another survey found that in 2022, the number of young people (under 40) who had a tattoo was 40% - an increase from 21% in 2019.

So, there is data to support personal observations about the growing popularity of tattoos.

Reasons why people get tattoos.

There are various reasons why people choose to get a tattoo.

• Some get a tattoo to stand out or to be different.

• Some get a tattoo because of their involvement in the military.

• Some get a tattoo to honor the memory of someone they love.

• Some get a tattoo to express how they felt about a significant life experience - a tattoo can be a way to express emotion.

• Some get a tattoo as a creative expression - they view it as a work of art.

• Some get a tattoo to cover up their insecurities about their body - a tattoo can help hide whatever they are insecure about.

Those are just a few reasons people may get a tattoo. Someone’s reasons for getting a tattoo could include several of these reasons.

One Bible verse mentions tattoos.

There is one Bible verse that specifically mentions tattoos, and it’s found in the Old Testament. It’s found in a section that deals with things found in the pagan cultures around the children of Israel.

You shall not eat anything with the blood, nor shall you practice divination or soothsaying. You shall not shave around the sides of your head, nor shall you disfigure the edges of your beard. You shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor tattoo any marks on you: I am the LORD. Do not prostitute your daughter, to cause her to be a harlot, lest the land fall into harlotry, and the land become full of wickedness. (Leviticus 19:26-29)

Everything mentioned here by God was commonly found in the idol-worshipping societies around the nation of Israel.

In Canaan, evidence indicates that instead of marking the body with ink, more extreme scarification measures, like branding, slashing, or gashing the skin were used. Archeology, backed by biblical texts, indicates the Canaanites would customarily slash their bodies for ritualistic purposes (1 Kings 18:28), especially to mourn their dead and honor their gods. Leviticus 19:28 seems to imply this when it says, “you will not make cuttings in your flesh, for the dead, nor print marks on you.” (biblestudytools.com)

God forbade the nation of Israel from making these marks on their body because it was what the surrounding pagan nations did to honor their idol gods.

Jesus fulfilled the old covenant and took it out of the way (Ephesians 2:14-16; Colossians 2:13-14). We now live under the new covenant of Christ (Hebrews 8:7-13). The commands under the Law of Moses are not binding upon us today (Colossians 2:16-17).

The New Testament - the new covenant we live under today - is completely silent on tattoos. Tattoos certainly existed during New Testament times - the “Romans put tattoos on slaves, gladiators and criminals” (earlychurchhistory.org). Many Christians in the first century were slaves or former slaves and probably had a tattoo that showed who they belonged to.

While there are certainly still some tattoos that honor idol gods, most tattoos in the United States today don’t have any connection to idolatry. And since slavery was abolished in this country in 1865, no one is tattooed with the name of their master anymore.

Tattoos are a matter of conscience.

I believe tattoos are a “Romans 14” issue, meaning they are a matter of conscience for each individual.

Certainly, you shouldn’t get a tattoo connected with the “lust of the flesh” (Galatians 5:19-21) - anything impure, sensual, or connected to idolatry. But if a tattoo doesn’t fall into these categories, I think we have freedom in Christ.

Romans 14:1-12 reminds Christians that they should not pass judgment on one another over a matter of judgment or conscience. Also, Christians are reminded not to let matters of Christian liberty in Christ become a stumbling block to someone else (Romans 14:13-23).

Christians must not bind matters of conscience on someone else. At the same time, Christians should be mindful of those who see a matter of conscience differently - such as tattoos - and seek not to cause their brethren to stumble.

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So, is it sinful to get a tattoo?

So long as the tattoo the person gets isn’t something sinful in itself - such as what is mentioned in the “lust of the flesh” in Galatians 5:19-21 - and it doesn’t violate your conscience to do so, then I believe we have freedom in Christ to get a tattoo.

It’s also important to remember your brethren and not become a stumbling block to anyone else.

We then who are strong ought to bear with the scruples of the weak, and not to please ourselves. (Romans 15:1)

If it violates your conscience to get a tattoo, don’t get one. And also, be careful not to bind your strongly held opinion about tattoos on others.