Does the Bible Say No Tattoos?

Photo by Jon Tyson

It goes without saying that this is a controversial topic, which is truly why it should be talked about. As a Christian and a tattooer, I feel like I walk between two worlds on a weekly basis, and I love it. I spend so much time listening to stories from every walk of life and it's by far the most interesting aspect of my job. The vacations, the jobs, the cross-country moves, coming out, incarcerations, getting married; everyone has their own novel and it's almost always a delight to hear a part of it while we're working. The thing that I don't enjoy is hearing about, though, are the instances of discrimination that clients have to endure simply because they are tattooed. What makes it worse, is when the hatred comes from a community that I'm a part of. 
Before I get too far into this, I want to say that this isn't an article just for Christians. I hope that tattooed people of any religion, or none at all, can benefit from this information. The more we understand about each other, the better our chances of co-existing in a civil manner.   

What Does The Bible Say?
Ah, Leviticus 19:28, I know you well. Now, depending on the translation you're reading, Leviticus 19:28 says "You shall not make any cuts on your body for the dead or tattoo yourselves: I am the Lord." Seems pretty clear right? Well, if taken out of context, then, yes, it does. What's happening before and after this verse is very important to understand. In Leviticus, Moses is leading the people of Israel into a new land and he's giving instructions on how they will conduct themselves in their new surroundings. They'll be exposed to a lot of new customs and ways, including other pagan religions which practiced body modification as a form of worship. Some of this ritualistic marking is referenced in 1 Kings 18:28 as the Canaanites make a plea to Baal. If you take even just a few moments to browse over Leviticus, there are a lot of other rules that God passed to Moses, such as not trimming your beard, not eating flesh with blood in it and not wearing garments made of more than one material.
It's also important to note that even though the English Standard Version (ESV translation) uses the word "tattoo," don't let this throw you off. The English language did not adopt the word "tattoo" until the end of the 1700s. The King James translation, nearly 1,000 years earlier is likely more accurate when it reads "Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you." It's entirely possible that this could have non-permanent markings like paints and dyes. As with anything, I urge you to read for yourself. In my study of the text, when taken in context, I do not believe that God is forbidding tattoos. 

So, I'm not going to Hell for my tattoos?
Oh, friend, have you been misled! I'm sad to hear depictions of Jesus as an angry and wrathful God, especially when it's geared towards people who don't know the difference. I'm not a teacher or a scholar, but any of us can pick up the text and read about how he treated people. Here are a few examples of how Jesus engaged with people that society looked down on:

• Zacchaeus, a tax collector, viewed as a traitor by his people for collecting money for Rome, climbed a tree in hopes of getting a glimpse of Jesus through the crowd. Jesus spotted him, asked him to come down and spend time with him. The crowd began to talk, saying "He has gone to be a guest of a man who is a sinner" (Luke 19:7). 
• In Mark 2:16-17, the religious establishment of the time tried to pull a total mean-girls-in-the-cafeteria stunt, but Jesus puts them in their place. "And the scribes of the Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, said to his disciples, 'Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?' And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, 'Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners."
• Now, let's circle back around to the Laws that God gave Moses earlier. Read over what happens in John 8:4-11. "they said to him, 'Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. Now in the Law, Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?" This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. As they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, 'Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.' And once more he bent down and wrote on the ground. But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. Jesus stood up and said to her, 'Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?' She said, 'No one, Lord.' And Jesus said, 'Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more." It's speculated that Jesus was writing the sins of the men in the sand, but we don't know for sure.

Jesus had an affinity for people that meant nothing to the rest of society and I wish that was more well known. If He were walking the earth today, I don't believe he'd be hanging out in mega churches or at some big hipster worship festival. I think he would drop in the tattoo shop every now and then. Not to go under the needle necessarily, but I can see him smiling, pulling up a chair and joining in the day to day chatter. If you're interested in learning more, the Youversion Bible app can be downloaded for free for Apple and Android. I also recommend The Raggamuffin Gospel: Good News for the Bedraggled, Beat-Up and Burnt-Out by Brennan Manning. 
I hope this has been helpful to you whether you believe or not, or whether your faith is huge or the size of a mustard seed.

"And on his thigh, he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords." Revelation 19:16​