After examining the scriptures, it becomes clear that the Bible speaks both negatively and positively about tattoos. The main quote that is in contention with most Christians comes from Leviticus 19:27-28 ‘You shall not shave around the sides of your head, nor shall you disfigure the edges of your beard. You shall not make any cutting in your flesh for the dead, nor make marks upon you: I am the Lord.’ But, it is widely accepted among Biblical scholars the Leviticus 19:28 refers solely to the practices of people cutting themselves and rubbing in ash when they are in a period of mourning. The ash rubbed into wounds left permanent marks, the marks referred to here.
In Genesis, chapter four: God puts a mark on Cain, so when others find him, they won’t kill him. The mark isn’t described, but it does appear to be permanent. Under Isaiah 44:5, the Bible reads, “One will say, ‘I belong to the Lord’; another will call himself by the name of Jacob; still another will write on his hand, ‘The Lord’s,’ and will take the name Israel.” In Isaiah 49:16 – ‘”See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me.” In Ezekiel 9:4 – “Go throughout the city of Jerusalem and put a mark on the foreheads of those who grieve and lament over all the detestable things that are done in it”. These marks referred to in Genesis, Isaiah and in Ezekiel are both for the devout and for the troubled.
In the book of Revelations, tattoos represent that one has taken ‘the mark of the beast.’ But, also in Revelations, both non-believers and believers are marked, but for different reasons. It is written in Revelations 7:3 – “Do not harm the land or the sea or the trees until we put a seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God.” In Revelations 19:16, it is written – ” On his robe and on his thigh, he has this name written: King of Kings and Lord of Lords.” Obviously referring to Jesus 2nd coming, his return to earth will be identified by his mark.
Corinthians 6:19 to 20 says, “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own: you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.” This verse is the most quoted by Christians as to why they tattoo their bodies, for them, they are displaying God’s ownership of their body and declaring his glory with the art they were everyday.
