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The Bible mentions marks on the skin only once, in Leviticus 19:28, where God told ancient Israel not to cut their flesh "for the dead" or "print any marks" on themselves. The New Testament never repeats that command, so sincere Christians disagree about whether getting a tattoo today is a sin. Most agree on this much: the verse was tied to pagan mourning rites, and what matters most for a believer now is the heart, the motive and the message behind the ink.
Below we look at the verse in its setting, how the Old and New Covenants relate, what 1 Corinthians 6 adds, and some practical questions to ask before you decide.
The One Verse: Leviticus 19:28
Here is the verse that almost every conversation about tattoos begins with:
Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am the LORD.
— Leviticus 19:28 (KJV)
On its own, the second half sounds like a simple, timeless ban. But a verse always lives inside a chapter, and the chapter tells us a lot.
Reading the verse in its context
Leviticus 19 is a long list of laws that set Israel apart from the nations around it. Some are moral commands everyone recognizes, like "thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself" (Leviticus 19:18). Others are about farming, clothing and grooming. Just before our verse, Israel is told not to practice enchantment or "observe times," and not to round the corners of the head or mar the corners of the beard (Leviticus 19:26–27).
Those instructions were aimed at the religious customs of Canaan and Egypt. Historians know that neighboring peoples cut themselves, shaved in certain patterns and marked their skin as acts of mourning, devotion to a god or protection from spirits of the dead. The phrase "for the dead" ties the whole verse to those rites.
A parallel passage makes the link even clearer:
Ye are the children of the LORD your God: ye shall not cut yourselves, nor make any baldness between your eyes for the dead.
— Deuteronomy 14:1 (KJV)
Notice the reason given. Israel belonged to the Lord, so they were not to grieve like people who belonged to other gods. The command was about identity and worship, not about skin as such.
What the Hebrew points to
The words translated "print any marks" refer to an incised or written mark. Scholars debate whether the ancient practice looked exactly like a modern tattoo, but it was clearly a permanent mark on the body. What we do not know for certain is whether God was forbidding every possible mark for all time, or only marks connected to death rites and idolatry. That uncertainty is the heart of the Christian disagreement.
Old Covenant and New Covenant
Christians do not keep every law in Leviticus. Few believers today worry about wearing cloth of mixed fibers (Leviticus 19:19) or trimming the corners of a beard. So the real question is how the law of Moses applies to followers of Jesus.
The New Testament describes the law as a guardian that led God's people until Christ came:
Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.
— Galatians 3:24–25 (KJV)
Many Christians sort the Old Testament laws into three broad kinds:
- Moral laws, which reflect God's unchanging character and are repeated in the New Testament (do not murder, do not steal, love your neighbor).
- Ceremonial laws, which governed sacrifice, purity and worship and were fulfilled in Christ (Hebrews 10:1).
- Civil laws, which ran the nation of Israel as a society.
People who place Leviticus 19:28 among the ceremonial or cultural laws conclude that it does not bind Christians directly, though its principle (do not imitate pagan worship) still does. People who see it as a moral law conclude that permanent body markings remain wrong for everyone. Both groups take the Bible seriously. They simply read this verse differently.
Your Body Is a Temple: 1 Corinthians 6:19–20
The New Testament passage most often raised in this debate is not about tattoos at all. Paul was writing to the church in Corinth about sexual immorality, but his reasoning reaches every part of how we treat our bodies:
What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.
— 1 Corinthians 6:19–20 (KJV)
Some Christians read this as a reason never to mark the body, since you would not spray paint the walls of a temple. Others point out that temples in the Bible were richly decorated with carved images and inscriptions (1 Kings 6:29), and argue that a tasteful tattoo is no more a defilement than a wedding ring or pierced ears.
Either way, the passage moves the question to a higher level. The issue is not "Am I allowed?" but "Does this glorify God?" A body bought by Christ belongs to Him, and every choice about it, from diet to clothing to ink, should be made with that in mind.
God Looks at the Heart
When the prophet Samuel went to anoint a king, he was impressed by the tall, handsome sons of Jesse. God corrected him:
...for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.
— 1 Samuel 16:7 (KJV)
This verse cuts both ways. It warns the person getting a tattoo that God sees the motive behind it. It also warns other Christians not to judge a brother or sister by the ink on their arm. Peter makes a similar point when he tells believers that their true beauty is "the hidden man of the heart" rather than outward adornment (1 Peter 3:3–4).
Questions to ask yourself
If you are a Christian thinking about a tattoo, these questions can help you decide honestly before God:
- Why do I want it? To remember God's faithfulness, honor a loved one or mark a turning point is very different from rebellion, vanity or fitting in with a crowd.
- What does it say? Images or words tied to the occult, violence, cruelty or crude humor do not fit a life that glorifies God.
- Will I still want it in twenty years? A tattoo is close to permanent. Wisdom thinks about the long run (Proverbs 21:5).
- How will it affect others? Consider your parents if you are young, your church setting and your witness. Paul gave up some freedoms so as not to wound weaker believers (1 Corinthians 8:13).
- Can I do it in faith? If your conscience is troubled, that is reason enough to wait.
Freedom and Conscience: Where Christians Land
Paul wrote about "disputable matters," questions where faithful believers can reach different conclusions. Food offered to idols and special holy days were the issues in his time. His advice still fits tattoos well:
One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.
— Romans 14:5 (KJV)
He also gave a serious warning to anyone who goes ahead while their conscience objects:
...for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.
— Romans 14:23 (KJV)
In practice, you will find three main positions among Christians today:
- Tattoos are wrong. Leviticus 19:28 still applies, and the body should be kept unmarked out of reverence for its Creator. Some conservative churches and many older believers hold this view.
- Tattoos are permitted but call for caution. The command was tied to pagan mourning, so it is not binding as written, but motives, content and witness still matter. This is probably the most common view among evangelical pastors today.
- Tattoos can be a tool for faith. Some believers choose Scripture verses, crosses or symbols of their testimony, and find that the ink opens conversations about Jesus.
Whatever view you hold, Scripture asks you not to despise those who see it differently (Romans 14:3). A tattoo does not make anyone more or less saved. Salvation rests on Christ's work, not on the condition of our skin.
What about tattoos you already have?
Many people come to faith with tattoos from their past, some of which they now regret. The gospel is good news here too. God does not ask you to scrub your skin clean to be accepted. He makes the heart new (2 Corinthians 5:17). Some believers choose to cover or remove old designs, and others leave them as a reminder of where God found them. Both can honor Him.
Living to God's Glory
The clearest principle for this question is one Paul wrote about ordinary daily choices:
Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.
— 1 Corinthians 10:31 (KJV)
That is the test for a tattoo, and for every other decision about our bodies. Many of the same questions about honoring the body come up when Christians ask what the Bible says about cremation, and the same balance of freedom and wisdom applies when people ask whether it is a sin to gamble.
Daniel was another young man who had to decide how to honor God with his body in a culture that did not share his faith, and you can see the quiet courage of his choice in the story of Daniel.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it a sin to get a tattoo?
The Bible does not clearly say that all tattoos are sinful for Christians today. Leviticus 19:28 forbade Israel from marking the body in connection with mourning rites for the dead, and believers disagree about whether that command still applies. Most pastors say the motive, the content of the tattoo and your own conscience are what matter most.
What does Leviticus 19:28 mean?
Leviticus 19:28 tells Israel not to cut their flesh for the dead or print marks on their bodies. In context, it was part of a list of laws that kept Israel separate from the idol worship and mourning customs of nearby nations. Christians debate whether it was a timeless moral law or a command tied to that specific setting.
Will I go to heaven if I have a tattoo?
Yes, if you trust in Jesus Christ. Salvation comes by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8–9), not by keeping the body free of marks. A tattoo, whether gotten before or after coming to faith, does not cancel what Christ has done.
Does Jesus have a tattoo in Revelation?
Revelation 19:16 says the returning Christ has a name written "on his vesture and on his thigh." Some readers see this as a tattoo, but most scholars understand it as a symbolic picture, possibly a name on a sash or garment draped over the thigh. It is not a strong argument either for or against tattoos.
Are Christian or Bible verse tattoos okay?
Many Christians wear Scripture or symbols like the cross and find they open doors to talk about faith. Others feel any permanent mark is unwise. If you choose one, make sure the verse is quoted correctly, understood in context and chosen to honor God rather than to impress people.
What should I do if I regret a tattoo?
Regret is not the same as guilt, and God's forgiveness covers anything done in rebellion or ignorance (1 John 1:9). Some people cover or remove a tattoo, which is a personal choice. Others keep it as part of their testimony of how God changed them.
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