What does the Bible say about tattoos?

In Galatians 6:17 we find the only scripture that I am aware of in the New Testament that could possibly be associated with tattoos, and then only if it were taken out of context, and translated differently than either the King James Version, or the New American Standard Versions reads. The New American Standard Versions says "From now on let no one cause trouble for me, for I bear on my body the brand marks of Jesus." While the marks that the apostle Paul refers to here may indeed may be actual physical marks on his body, we can be assured that they were not self-imposed or self-inflicted.

They may, in some way be related to his suffering inflicted by others since beginning to proclaim Jesus as Messiah and Lord. There are, however, scriptures that we can turn to that give us an understanding of what it is that God would have us do in order to be pleasing to Him as Christians. The first scripture reference that I would like to look at is found in 1 Corinthians 6:19, 20. These verses state "Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body." A similar statement to this one is found in 1 Corinthians 3:16. This verse reads, "Do you not know that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? These two references of scripture do teach us that we are to keep our bodies in a physical, emotional, and spiritual state as to bring honor and glory to God. Another passage of scripture that may be helpful to look at is found in Matthew 6:33. Earlier in this chapter, Jesus is talking about the provisions that God makes for His children, and in verse 33, He says, "But seek first His kingdom, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you." This verse indicates that we are to allow God’s kingdom, and His righteousness to have priority in our life over everything, and that if we do this we will want to glorify God in our spiritual, physical, and emotional appearance before others.