What does the bible say about tattoos, good or bad?

Tattoos are on everyone today. Well at least it seems like it, I mean seriously, today not only do Bikers and Sailors have them but also Doctors, Lawyers, Politicians, and yes, even Pastors. In the past they had very specific meaning but today it seems tattoos have personal meaning to the person with them and most people like them because they look cool. As you might know we as Christians have turned from ourselves and our sin (or anything that is against God) to worship the Living God through Jesus Christ and now that we have turned to follow God, He has also Given us His Word (the Bible) to teach us about how we can follow Him. This question comes from a person that desires to follow God though His Word, so this is a Great question! Now let’s take a look at what the Bible says about tattoos.
The Bible mentions the marking of our bodies in two places. One of those places is in the Book of Revelation and that refers to the Mark of the Beast or a mark that people will have the option to take that will allow them to buy and sell goods during the time of tribulation (the end of the World, see Revelation 13:6). Now we don’t have to worry about that one as Christians because we will not be on earth during that time. We will have been taken to Heaven at the Rapture (see 1 Thessalonians 4:16-5:2). Because Christians will not be on earth when this takes place the only verse that mentions tattoos that would apply to us is found in Leviticus 19:28 which says, “Do not cut your bodies for the dead or put tattoo marks on yourselves. I am the LORD.”
Now at first glance it would seem that we are not supposed to get tattoos but, as you know Bible students, we must always read the Bible in its original context. Now let’s take a look at that verse with its surrounding verses in Leviticus 19:26-30 which says “Do not eat any meat with the blood still in it. Do not practice divination or sorcery. Do not cut the hair at the sides of your head or clip off the edges of your beard. Do not cut your bodies for the dead or put tattoo marks on yourselves. I am the LORD. Do not degrade your daughter by making her a prostitute, or the land will turn to prostitution and be filled with wickedness. Observe my Sabbaths and have reverence for my sanctuary. I am the LORD.” When we look at the surrounding verses we see that God was instructing the Jewish people to be set apart from other pagan religions. These pagan religions had tattooing and cutting the edges of their beards as religious practices. So if we used this verse to say that tattooing is wrong we must then say that so is trimming your beard! Tattooing in itself was not wrong it was its association with idols and pagan religions that made it bad. In today’s culture in America this is not the case so it is not really possible (according to the Bible) to say that tattoos are a sin in today’s society.
That being said I would like to point out a verse that might helps us address this question in closing. 1 Cor. 6:12, "All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be mastered by anything." We must remember that in Christ we are a new creation and that we have been justified by God through Jesus sacrifice on the cross. This makes everything lawful for a Christian but that does not mean that it is profitable. Now let me share my opinion for what it is worth (you decide). I myself have many tattoos and like them very much but as I have matured in Christ I wish I had never got them. Not because I regret there design (in fact some of them are Bible verses) but because I want my life to be a spectacle to the World so that they might see the wonders on my Savior and Lord, Jesus. There are people that recognize tattoos as being “ungodly” (which I disagree with) but I would be sad if my tattoos ever prevented me from ministering to someone in the name of Jesus. I understand that God could also use tattoos to minister to people but I can still minister to people with tattoos if I myself had none. So, if you are a Christian and thinking of getting a tattoo ask yourself if you could live with it for the rest of your life, but also ask if it is a good witness for Jesus Christ.