What does the Bible say about tattoos? Is it a sin or an issue of Christian freedom?
Auto-generated Transcript:
Hello, this is Dan Sardinas, and welcome to another Five Good Minutes where I answer your biblical questions in five minutes or less. Today’s question is: Are tattoos sinful? What does the Bible say about that?
To call anything sinful, we must see if God has forbidden it. The Bible—not our preferences—is the standard by which we judge all things. So, what does the Bible say about tattoos?
There is one verse often cited by those who oppose tattoos: Leviticus 19:28, which says, “You shall not make any cuts on your body for the dead or tattoo yourselves: I am the Lord.” This command was given specifically to the nation of Israel as they came out of Egypt. They were called to be a holy, set-apart people.
But does the word “tattoo” today mean the same as it did then? Not exactly. The word “tattoo” didn’t even exist until the 1700s. The practice referenced in Leviticus was more about ritualistic mutilation and idol worship. The Canaanites would cut themselves and mark their bodies to honor false gods or mourn the dead. God was forbidding Israel from copying these pagan practices.
If your tattoo today is in honor of false gods, idol worship, or mimicking pagan rituals, then yes—it would be sinful. But simply injecting ink into the skin for artistic or personal expression? That’s not what God was addressing.
So, what principles should guide Christians today regarding tattoos? First, who will the tattoo glorify—you or God? Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians 6 that our bodies are not our own; they were bought at a price. Everything we do with our bodies should glorify God.
In 1 Corinthians 10:31, Paul also says, “Whatever you do, do it all to the glory of God.” So, is your tattoo drawing attention to you, or to God?
Another consideration is modesty. Is the tattoo accentuating a part of your body in a way that’s immodest? Scripture encourages us to dress and present ourselves with modesty and self-control.
Ultimately, it’s a matter of Christian freedom. If you choose to get a tattoo, do it in a way that glorifies God, honors Him with modesty, and is done from a heart of faith. As Paul says in Romans 14:23, “Whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.”
So, are tattoos sinful? Not exactly—but they can be, depending on the motive, content, and heart behind them.
And this has been another Five Good Minutes.