What does the Bible say about tattoos? Is it ok for Christians to get a tattoo? Pastors Josh and Katie Walters explain what the Bible says about tattoos.
God surely does not judge your outward appearance but your inner appearance and your walk with him... Your relationship with Christ Jesus is what matters and living your life accordingly to God's word.
Why is the word tattoo used directly in Leviticus? But not in the scripture you used in Revelations? Do you think that may have been a stretch to say the Lord has a name *tattooed* on His thigh? I’m not necessarily against or for tattoos I’m quite in the middle about it, like I want one but I’m also determined to know the truth about them according to the word of God
Yeah He clearly contradicted himself about the part taking a scripture out of context or the true meaning... I'm not for or against tattoos, but if the Holy Spirit convicts you not to get one and you do, then it's a sin of disobedience... Because God deals with us individually... Some things that God convicts me of may not be a conviction to others and vice versa... And then there are things clearly written in scripture that we know we shouldn't be doing...
Here is the scripture where it is found in the Torah. NKJ Leviticus 19:28 `You shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor tattoo any marks on you: I am the LORD (Lev. 19:28 NKJ) 1. Cuttings - In Hebrew שֶׂ֣רֶט (Lev. 19:28) pronounced Sa’ret. Meaning incision or scratch drawing of blood. Make gashes in oneself (a pagan mourning ritual) inflict a wound on oneself (KBL), injure oneself grievously, badly 2. Tattoo- In Hebrew קַֽעֲקַ֔ע (Lev. 19:28) pronounced ka’ahka. Meaning incision drawing blood, and imprintment.This word only occurs once in the whole of the Tanach (Old Testament), 3. Marks In Hebrew כּתֹ֫בֶת (Lev. 19:28) pronounced k’tovet. Meaning writing, inscription (mark or sign) When we read the Scriptures we switch our biased thoughts off. We enter reading the scriptures in neutral mode. We do not force our biased opinions and prejudice on the Scriptures. To change an error in our thinking is the hardest thing to do. But to live our life in a lie destroys you and negatively impacts and destroys other innocent people who interact with you. So choose life in Him and follow His way, not your way. If we cannot do the smallest things for Elohim (God) and our Mashiach (Messiah) how can you do the largest things for Him! The largest things are made up of the smallest things. So if you fail at the smallest things you will never be able to do the large things for Him. If you fail the First Commandment - which you shall Love Him with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might/willpower you will never be able to keep the rest; and your understanding of His words become corrupted with arrogance and prideful understanding and not His. We must never place our will, our understanding, and our interpretation of the scriptures above YaHVaH Elohim (God) and our Mashiach( Messiah). Shalom Samuel
Isn't that kind of judging the laws were changed by certain things if a person has tattoes and wasn't saved like me and is saved now isn't God's cup overflow with forgiveness read chapter 23 of Psalms
Yes that's correct- they are sinning too But remember look at the demeanor- it's just to have fun - it's to believe your saved - not caring what the law actually says nor means
Yes im confused about this too…. I still feel its necessary to repent about tattoos and just stop getting them. Its poison to your body no matter what and we should do the best we can to take care of the body we have. The whole reason this world is so sinful is because humanity didnt appreciate what god gave them in the first place. We must try our best, we arnt perfect but Jesus loves us and wants us to take care of ourselves.
If there is not a commandment for doing it, why would you want too? Why even tempt to walk through muddy water? If it’s not clear just abstain, but don’t judge others.
But are they not things of this world which we are to separate ourselves from being like and if the pagans were doing this why was the example still carried out to this day . Our bodies are fine the way they are as God created, is this signifying what he created wasn’t good enough. I guess this is where and why we have free will to make choices and create emotional decisions to fit our agendas to justify in our own eyes what is correct even is the Bible says different
Every word of God is pure: He is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. Add thou not unto his words, Lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar. Proverbs 30:5-6 KJV
I have a “what doesn’t kill me now will make me wait for what will later” tattoo on my back that my ex got for me on my nineteenth birthday. I’d like to get it removed for reasons but I’m not able to at the moment.
I got a tattooed on my fingers saying love less at age 16 at age 32 it really doesn’t represent me and my inner self anymore. Would I be judged in the Christian community upon my appearance
i really want a reminder one on my wrist or finger that says Gods greater than the highs and lows so i can always look down and remember it but i also dont want to do anything to harm my body like that
Ok my friends: The reason we are allowed to get a tattoo today in 2024 if we want to is because you can't take the verse they quoted from the old testament and directly apply it to your life, and you can't apply it to someone else's life today and say they are breaking a commandment because we are not in the context of why it was given to the Israelites because it was to do with worship of idols not to do with getting a mark on your body. And for the person who wrote " it is written well and clear that we shouldn't mark our bodies" is misguided in the way she is applying that scripture she is putting herself in the place of the Israelites back then and imagining that God is speaking to her in the same context, this is a faulty way of applying that scripture for us today. Also the reason it's not sin to get their grandparents names tattooed on them is because there is no verse forbidding tattoos so it's Christians free will to get one if they want or not... Do we serve a God who likes art do we serve a God who likes creative stuff? Wouldn't a tattoo with a cross on your arm be glorification to God? Wouldn't you be able to reach more people if you had a Christian tattoo on your arm as a way of a starting point of a conversation about God if someone asked you what is the meaning of that tattoo?
That is your interpretation. But in all sense it is written well and clear that you shouldn't put any mark on your bodies. It is the dwelling place of the holy spirit. It is the house of the Lord.. if you encrypt any markings on your body, that's not going to make God glad about it. Obedience that is what we should do not when it is convenient for most people. In the end you can justify anything
If you think that it is written well and clear that we shouldn't put any mark on our bodies for us today in 2024 living under the new covenant then you have a misunderstanding of how we are to interpret the old testament and apply it to our lives today...
Leviticus also says "ye shall not round the corners of your heads nor the corners of your beard"...pretty much no Christians listen to this...we have to remember Leviticus was the OLD testament...its true that we take a lot from the old testament but equally JESUS himself dismissed a lot of teachings from the old testament thag the pharisees obsessed over...one of the most famous was Jesus telling them that "man is not defiled by what goes INTO his body but rather by what comes OUT of it"...this was meant to address their obsession over things like not sharing cups with gentiles yet talking gossip about someone or not helping those less fortunate...Jesus wanted us to focus MORE on how we treat each other rather than the minor physical rituals...The 10 commandments are clearly from God however a lot of the rules/old laws were created by pharisees...the same pharisees who called for jesus death
I’m just trying to represent my family and morals (by God) for me… because I need a visual reminder of what matters… I just need to know if it’s a sun because this is somewhat important
Exodus 20:4 New King James Version 4 “You shall not make for yourself a carved image-any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth Marantha
God revealed to me himself that it’s wrong to get a tattoo. Also just read properly. It clearly states on his word….. 1.Do not make any cuts for the dead 2.OR tattoo yourselves. It doesn’t say it’s only as long as it not an idol🤦🏾♂️
I've got religious tattoos? I have a cross on my neck.. my ex wife's name on my arm which I use to remind me of poor decisions.. I've got different types of crosses as well.
How does putting your grandparents names on your body make it ok…isnt that the dead…or are the grandparents christians that are with Jesus so thats ok?
My husband is a Bible scholar who works in the original languages. Here is the information on Leviticus 19: Leviticus 19:28 (NASB) says, "28 You shall not make any cuts in your [a] body for the [b] dead, nor make any tattoo marks on yourselves: I am the Lord." Footnotes: a) Leviticus 19:28 Lit flesh b) Leviticus 19:28 Lit soul The Septuagint is the OT in Greek, which Jesus and all the New Testament writers quoted. In the Septuagint, the word for "cuts" has the definitions of "incisions, gashes". The alternate word that the NASB notes for "dead" is soul. This is because in both Biblical Hebrew and Greek, the word used here actually describes Adam coming to life in Genesis 2, where it says Adam became a living soul. So even though the Old King James translated it as "dead," and some translations have followed this, it cannot properly be translated as "dead" for none of the words for dead in the original languages are used here. Therefore, it says specifically do NOT cut your flesh as part of your life. Other alternate words for it are "breath, life, spirit, soul, hear" The words "tattoo marks" come from two words. One meaning "that which is drawn" and the other meaning "punctured." This describes tattoos precisely from that time and in these times. They are images drawn and punctured INTO the skin. Tattoos: images drawn and punctured into the skin are forbidden. Cuts: Incision, gashes, into the skin/flesh are forbidden. The Bible says that the life is in the blood.
This man said...Lord says you shall not tattoo on your body for dead.. and seconds later he says he tattooed his grandparent's name? Wtf... Lord Said dont tatoo for whats dead.. which means you can tatoo something what's alive, or symbols but one should not place it above god
I am a Christian I have a almost completed sleeve three more sessions and I have a good size chest tattoo and I got my other arm tattoo I love getting tatted up I even audition to be In Ink magazine
I'd say to start with read the New testament revolutions where it says don't change the Bible don't add anything and don't take anything not a word and the word tattoo is not in the original King James Bible anywhere and then I say Leviticus is Old testament that wasn't written for the gentile to begin with and has been fulfilled we don't live by that anymore we live by the New testament and I would say read were the Bible says judge not for thou shalt be judged no i don't like tattoos but I don't make stuff up and say it's in the Bible when it's not
God surely does not judge your outward appearance but your inner appearance and your walk with him... Your relationship with Christ Jesus is what matters and living your life accordingly to God's word.
Why is the word tattoo used directly in Leviticus? But not in the scripture you used in Revelations? Do you think that may have been a stretch to say the Lord has a name *tattooed* on His thigh? I’m not necessarily against or for tattoos I’m quite in the middle about it, like I want one but I’m also determined to know the truth about them according to the word of God
I highly doubt it’s a tattoo rather just there so John could’ve recognized oh that’s Jesus king of kings in the vision
Yeah He clearly contradicted himself about the part taking a scripture out of context or the true meaning... I'm not for or against tattoos, but if the Holy Spirit convicts you not to get one and you do, then it's a sin of disobedience... Because God deals with us individually... Some things that God convicts me of may not be a conviction to others and vice versa... And then there are things clearly written in scripture that we know we shouldn't be doing...
God made us perfect and He said it was good
The word tattoo comes from Polynesian word "Tattau" and it means tap. They used to use a tapping technique for tattooing
Here is the scripture where it is found in the Torah.
NKJ Leviticus 19:28 `You shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor tattoo any marks on you: I am the LORD (Lev. 19:28 NKJ)
1. Cuttings - In Hebrew שֶׂ֣רֶט (Lev. 19:28) pronounced Sa’ret. Meaning incision or scratch drawing of blood. Make gashes in oneself (a pagan mourning ritual) inflict a wound on oneself (KBL), injure oneself grievously, badly
2. Tattoo- In Hebrew קַֽעֲקַ֔ע (Lev. 19:28) pronounced ka’ahka. Meaning incision drawing blood, and imprintment.This word only occurs once in the whole of the Tanach (Old Testament),
3. Marks In Hebrew כּתֹ֫בֶת (Lev. 19:28) pronounced k’tovet. Meaning writing, inscription (mark or sign)
When we read the Scriptures we switch our biased thoughts off. We enter reading the scriptures in neutral mode. We do not force our biased opinions and prejudice on the Scriptures. To change an error in our thinking is the hardest thing to do. But to live our life in a lie destroys you and negatively impacts and destroys other innocent people who interact with you. So choose life in Him and follow His way, not your way. If we cannot do the smallest things for Elohim (God) and our Mashiach (Messiah) how can you do the largest things for Him! The largest things are made up of the smallest things. So if you fail at the smallest things you will never be able to do the large things for Him. If you fail the First Commandment - which you shall Love Him with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might/willpower you will never be able to keep the rest; and your understanding of His words become corrupted with arrogance and prideful understanding and not His. We must never place our will, our understanding, and our interpretation of the scriptures above YaHVaH Elohim (God) and our Mashiach( Messiah).
Shalom
Samuel
Isn't that kind of judging the laws were changed by certain things if a person has tattoes and wasn't saved like me and is saved now isn't God's cup overflow with forgiveness read chapter 23 of Psalms
Even tattooists think certain things curse you. Like if you ask for your partners name they will usually refuse as it's "bad luck"
The idol could be yourself...
True and in the last days men will be lovers of pleasure MORE than lovers of GOD
I'm still a little confused. Wouldn't having your grandparent's names tatted be a sin? I'm genuinely curious.
Their grandparents aren’t idols just family members, idols would be false gods or something that you put at more value than god himself
That’s what I was thinking. It says it directly in Leviticus
It’s not a sin
Yes that's correct- they are sinning too
But remember look at the demeanor- it's just to have fun - it's to believe your saved - not caring what the law actually says nor means
Yes im confused about this too…. I still feel its necessary to repent about tattoos and just stop getting them. Its poison to your body no matter what and we should do the best we can to take care of the body we have. The whole reason this world is so sinful is because humanity didnt appreciate what god gave them in the first place. We must try our best, we arnt perfect but Jesus loves us and wants us to take care of ourselves.
Thanks for sharing this
If there is not a commandment for doing it, why would you want too? Why even tempt to walk through muddy water? If it’s not clear just abstain, but don’t judge others.
I agree, it does not feel right, even if I want a tattoo, it just does not feel right.
It feels wrong.
Ok but there’s not a commandment for owning a car…. There’s not commandments for a lot of things so I don’t get your point
But are they not things of this world which we are to separate ourselves from being like and if the pagans were doing this why was the example still carried out to this day . Our bodies are fine the way they are as God created, is this signifying what he created wasn’t good enough. I guess this is where and why we have free will to make choices and create emotional decisions to fit our agendas to justify in our own eyes what is correct even is the Bible says different
Romans 14
Thank you so much
Every word of God is pure: He is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. Add thou not unto his words, Lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.
Proverbs 30:5-6 KJV
*Leviticus 19:28*
*You shall not make any cuts on your body for the dead or tattoo yourselves: I am the Lord.*
I have a “what doesn’t kill me now will make me wait for what will later” tattoo on my back that my ex got for me on my nineteenth birthday. I’d like to get it removed for reasons but I’m not able to at the moment.
Yes🙌🏽 thank you for this
I got a tattooed on my fingers saying love less at age 16 at age 32 it really doesn’t represent me and my inner self anymore. Would I be judged in the Christian community upon my appearance
You would not be judged in our community!
You could update it to love, lessons, life or something like that. Cover it up with something more true to you now idk
@@SeacoastChurchSorry but Christians are the most judgemental people I know. Holier than thou attitudes.
If tattoo is a sin
What about ears GOD didn't make any holes on it but we spoils it by making holes and permanent marking
It says no carvings or cuttings, but not small holes. You can take out the earrings, and they will disappear on their own.
i really want a reminder one on my wrist or finger that says Gods greater than the highs and lows so i can always look down and remember it but i also dont want to do anything to harm my body like that
Same here
Ok my friends: The reason we are allowed to get a tattoo today in 2024 if we want to is because you can't take the verse they quoted from the old testament and directly apply it to your life, and you can't apply it to someone else's life today and say they are breaking a commandment because we are not in the context of why it was given to the Israelites because it was to do with worship of idols not to do with getting a mark on your body. And for the person who wrote " it is written well and clear that we shouldn't mark our bodies" is misguided in the way she is applying that scripture she is putting herself in the place of the Israelites back then and imagining that God is speaking to her in the same context, this is a faulty way of applying that scripture for us today. Also the reason it's not sin to get their grandparents names tattooed on them is because there is no verse forbidding tattoos so it's Christians free will to get one if they want or not... Do we serve a God who likes art do we serve a God who likes creative stuff? Wouldn't a tattoo with a cross on your arm be glorification to God? Wouldn't you be able to reach more people if you had a Christian tattoo on your arm as a way of a starting point of a conversation about God if someone asked you what is the meaning of that tattoo?
what if you have a tattoo representing god or depicting his will
Actions speak louder than words. Let your works glorify God. Not ink permanently on your body.
Thank you 🙏🙏🙏
That is your interpretation. But in all sense it is written well and clear that you shouldn't put any mark on your bodies. It is the dwelling place of the holy spirit. It is the house of the Lord.. if you encrypt any markings on your body, that's not going to make God glad about it. Obedience that is what we should do not when it is convenient for most people. In the end you can justify anything
If you think that it is written well and clear that we shouldn't put any mark on our bodies for us today in 2024 living under the new covenant then you have a misunderstanding of how we are to interpret the old testament and apply it to our lives today...
Leviticus also says "ye shall not round the corners of your heads nor the corners of your beard"...pretty much no Christians listen to this...we have to remember Leviticus was the OLD testament...its true that we take a lot from the old testament but equally JESUS himself dismissed a lot of teachings from the old testament thag the pharisees obsessed over...one of the most famous was Jesus telling them that "man is not defiled by what goes INTO his body but rather by what comes OUT of it"...this was meant to address their obsession over things like not sharing cups with gentiles yet talking gossip about someone or not helping those less fortunate...Jesus wanted us to focus MORE on how we treat each other rather than the minor physical rituals...The 10 commandments are clearly from God however a lot of the rules/old laws were created by pharisees...the same pharisees who called for jesus death
That was for the nation of Israel. Once Jesus died the law was done for the church. All things are lawful for the church
That is misinterpreted. Read the entire verse.
I’m just trying to represent my family and morals (by God) for me… because I need a visual reminder of what matters… I just need to know if it’s a sun because this is somewhat important
Exodus 20:4
New King James Version
4 “You shall not make for yourself a carved image-any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth
Marantha
What about a deceased loved one
Thank you I got the answer thank you Jesus
I had a spiritual tatoltoo that means of inner strength that God gives me.
I don't have a tattoo
Everybody wants to judge that scripture as for tattoos. What about surgeries , your marking and cutting the skin when you have surgeries.
Thank you Jesus you answer my question
God revealed to me himself that it’s wrong to get a tattoo. Also just read properly. It clearly states on his word….. 1.Do not make any cuts for the dead 2.OR tattoo yourselves. It doesn’t say it’s only as long as it not an idol🤦🏾♂️
yes correct. but those were meant for levites in the old testament. when god is speaking there he is giving strict rules to the levites not us
I've got religious tattoos? I have a cross on my neck.. my ex wife's name on my arm which I use to remind me of poor decisions.. I've got different types of crosses as well.
No you shouldn't mark the skin
Trust in jesus❤❤
How does putting your grandparents names on your body make it ok…isnt that the dead…or are the grandparents christians that are with Jesus so thats ok?
My husband is a Bible scholar who works in the original languages. Here is the information on Leviticus 19:
Leviticus 19:28 (NASB) says, "28 You shall not make any cuts in your [a] body for the [b] dead, nor make any tattoo marks on yourselves: I am the Lord."
Footnotes:
a) Leviticus 19:28 Lit flesh
b) Leviticus 19:28 Lit soul
The Septuagint is the OT in Greek, which Jesus and all the New Testament writers quoted. In the Septuagint, the word for "cuts" has the definitions of "incisions, gashes".
The alternate word that the NASB notes for "dead" is soul. This is because in both Biblical Hebrew and Greek, the word used here actually describes Adam coming to life in Genesis 2, where it says Adam became a living soul. So even though the Old King James translated it as "dead," and some translations have followed this, it cannot properly be translated as "dead" for none of the words for dead in the original languages are used here. Therefore, it says specifically do NOT cut your flesh as part of your life.
Other alternate words for it are "breath, life, spirit, soul, hear"
The words "tattoo marks" come from two words. One meaning "that which is drawn" and the other meaning "punctured." This describes tattoos precisely from that time and in these times. They are images drawn and punctured INTO the skin.
Tattoos: images drawn and punctured into the skin are forbidden.
Cuts: Incision, gashes, into the skin/flesh are forbidden. The Bible says that the life is in the blood.
It is said that the body is the Tempel.dont Ruin it with drugs on the inside.or graffiti on the outside.
How hard is it don't do it then they changed it
So I can put a somewhat cute mariachi skull man, as long as I don’t idolise it and know that Jesus is true it won’t be a problem.
LEVITICUS 19:28
I have a gross birthmark on my chest. I plan to tatoo over it. It causes me embarrassment
That makes two of us
This man said...Lord says you shall not tattoo on your body for dead.. and seconds later he says he tattooed his grandparent's name? Wtf...
Lord Said dont tatoo for whats dead.. which means you can tatoo something what's alive, or symbols but one should not place it above god
Thank you I'm so glad that someone is level headed here. They are contradicting themselves
The Bible doesn't even say anything about tattoos it doesn't use that word at least not the original King James version of the Bible
I am a Christian I have a almost completed sleeve three more sessions and I have a good size chest tattoo and I got my other arm tattoo I love getting tatted up I even audition to be In Ink magazine
❤️
I'd say to start with read the New testament revolutions where it says don't change the Bible don't add anything and don't take anything not a word and the word tattoo is not in the original King James Bible anywhere and then I say Leviticus is Old testament that wasn't written for the gentile to begin with and has been fulfilled we don't live by that anymore we live by the New testament and I would say read were the Bible says judge not for thou shalt be judged no i don't like tattoos but I don't make stuff up and say it's in the Bible when it's not
Do not cut or mark ur self for the dead...because he is a living God
🫶🏾🫶🏾🫶🏾
Jesus will return with a tattoo on his thy cool Jesus broke his own commandment