What does the Bible say about altering the body?

Top passages, ranked by readers

Rankings: OpenBible.info Topical Bible (CC BY) · Scripture: World English Bible

• Leviticus 19:28

  "'You shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor tattoo any marks on you. I am Yahweh.

• Jeremiah 1:5

  Before I formed you in the belly I knew you, and before you came forth out of the womb I sanctified you; I have appointed you a prophet to the nations.

• Romans 1:22-32

  [22] Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, [23] and traded the glory of the incorruptible God for the likeness of an image of corruptible man, and of birds, and four-footed animals, and creeping things. [24] Therefore God also gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to uncleanness, that their bodies should be dishonored among themselves, [25] who exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. [26] For this reason, God gave them up to vile passions. For their women changed the natural function into that which is against nature. [27] Likewise also the men, leaving the natural function of the woman, burned in their lust toward one another, men doing what is inappropriate with men, and receiving in themselves the due penalty of their error. [28] Even as they refused to have God in their knowledge, God gave them up to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not fitting; [29] being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil habits, secret slanderers, [30] backbiters, hateful to God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, [31] without understanding, covenant-breakers, without natural affection, unforgiving, unmerciful; [32] who, knowing the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but also approve of those who practice them.

• Isaiah 53:1-12

  [1] Who has believed our message? and to whom has the arm of Yahweh been revealed? [2] For he grew up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he has no form nor comeliness; and when we see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. [3] He was despised, and rejected by men; a man of suffering, and acquainted with disease: and as one from whom men hide their face he was despised; and we didn't respect him. [4] Surely he has borne our sickness, and carried our suffering; yet we considered him plagued, struck by God, and afflicted. [5] But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought our peace was on him; and by his wounds we are healed. [6] All we like sheep have gone astray; everyone has turned to his own way; and Yahweh has laid on him the iniquity of us all. [7] He was oppressed, yet when he was afflicted he didn't open his mouth; as a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and as a sheep that before its shearers is mute, so he didn't open his mouth. [8] By oppression and judgment he was taken away; and as for his generation, who [among them] considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living for the disobedience of my people to whom the stroke [was due]? [9] They made his grave with the wicked, and with a rich man in his death; although he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth. [10] Yet it pleased Yahweh to bruise him; he has put him to grief: when you shall make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see [his] seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of Yahweh shall prosper in his hand. [11] He shall see of the travail of his soul, [and] shall be satisfied: by the knowledge of himself shall my righteous servant justify many; and he shall bear their iniquities. [12] Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he poured out his soul to death, and was numbered with the transgressors: yet he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

• Genesis 3:1-24

  [1] Now the serpent was more subtle than any animal of the field which Yahweh God had made. He said to the woman, "Yes, has God said, 'You shall not eat of any tree of the garden?'" [2] The woman said to the serpent, "Of the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat, [3] but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, 'You shall not eat of it, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.'" [4] The serpent said to the woman, "You won't surely die, [5] for God knows that in the day you eat it, your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." [6] When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit of it, and ate; and she gave some to her husband with her, and he ate. [7] Both of their eyes were opened, and they knew that they were naked. They sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons. [8] They heard the voice of Yahweh God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of Yahweh God among the trees of the garden. [9] Yahweh God called to the man, and said to him, "Where are you?" [10] The man said, "I heard your voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself." [11] God said, "Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?" [12] The man said, "The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate." [13] Yahweh God said to the woman, "What is this you have done?" The woman said, "The serpent deceived me, and I ate." [14] Yahweh God said to the serpent, "Because you have done this, cursed are you above all cattle, and above every animal of the field. On your belly shall you go, and you shall eat dust all the days of your life. [15] I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will bruise your head, and you will bruise his heel." [16] To the woman he said, "I will greatly multiply your pain in childbirth. In pain you will bring forth children. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you." [17] To Adam he said, "Because you have listened to your wife's voice, and have eaten of the tree, of which I commanded you, saying, 'You shall not eat of it,' cursed is the ground for your sake. In toil you will eat of it all the days of your life. [18] Thorns also and thistles will it bring forth to you; and you will eat the herb of the field. [19] By the sweat of your face will you eat bread until you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken. For you are dust, and to dust you shall return." [20] The man called his wife Eve, because she was the mother of all living. [21] Yahweh God made coats of skins for Adam and for his wife, and clothed them. [22] Yahweh God said, "Behold, the man has become like one of us, knowing good and evil. Now, lest he put forth his hand, and also take of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever..." [23] Therefore Yahweh God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken. [24] So he drove out the man; and he placed Cherubs at the east of the garden of Eden, and the flame of a sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life.

• 1 Peter 1:16

  because it is written, "You shall be holy; for I am holy."

• John 1:12

  But as many as received him, to them he gave the right to become God's children, to those who believe in his name:

• Isaiah 28:1-29

  [1] Woe to the crown of pride of the drunkards of Ephraim, and to the fading flower of his glorious beauty, which is on the head of the fat valley of those who are overcome with wine! [2] Behold, the Lord has a mighty and strong one; as a tempest of hail, a destroying storm, as a tempest of mighty waters overflowing, will he cast down to the earth with the hand. [3] The crown of pride of the drunkards of Ephraim shall be trodden under foot: [4] and the fading flower of his glorious beauty, which is on the head of the fat valley, shall be as the first-ripe fig before the summer; which when he who looks on it sees, while it is yet in his hand he eats it up. [5] In that day will Yahweh of Hosts become a crown of glory, and a diadem of beauty, to the residue of his people; [6] and a spirit of justice to him who sits in judgment, and strength to those who turn back the battle at the gate. [7] Even these reel with wine, and stagger with strong drink; the priest and the prophet reel with strong drink, they are swallowed up of wine, they stagger with strong drink; they err in vision, they stumble in judgment. [8] For all tables are full of vomit [and] filthiness, [so that there is] no place [clean]. [9] Whom will he teach knowledge? and whom will he make to understand the message? those who are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts? [10] For it is precept on precept, precept on precept; line on line, line on line; here a little, there a little. [11] No, but by [men of] strange lips and with another language will he speak to this people; [12] to whom he said, This is the rest, give you rest to him who is weary; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear. [13] Therefore shall the word of Yahweh be to them precept on precept, precept on precept; line on line, line on line; here a little, there a little; that they may go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken. [14] Why hear the word of Yahweh, you scoffers, that rule this people that is in Jerusalem: [15] Because you have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with Sheol are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come to us; for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves: [16] therefore thus says the Lord Yahweh, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner -[stone] of sure foundation: he who believes shall not be in haste. [17] I will make justice the line, and righteousness the plummet; and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding-place. [18] Your covenant with death shall be annulled, and your agreement with Sheol shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then you shall be trodden down by it. [19] As often as it passes though, it shall take you; for morning by morning shall it pass through, by day and by night: and it shall be nothing but terror to understand the message. [20] For the bed is shorter than that a man can stretch himself on it; and the covering narrower than that he can wrap himself in it. [21] For Yahweh will rise up as on Mount Perazim, he will be angry as in the valley of Gibeon; that he may do his work, his strange work, and bring to pass his act, his strange act. [22] Now therefore don't you be scoffers, lest your bonds be made strong; for a decree of destruction have I heard from the Lord, Yahweh of Hosts, on the whole earth. [23] Give you ear, and hear my voice; listen, and hear my speech. [24] Does he who plows to sow plow continually? does he [continually] open and harrow his ground? [25] When he has leveled the surface of it, doesn't he cast abroad the dill, and scatter the cumin, and put in the wheat in rows, and the barley in the appointed place, and the spelt in the border of it? [26] For his God does instruct him aright, [and] does teach him. [27] For the dill are not threshed with a sharp [threshing] instrument, neither is a cart wheel turned about on the cumin; but the dill are beaten out with a staff, and the cumin with a rod. [28] Bread [grain] is ground; for he will not be always threshing it: and though the wheel of his cart and his horses scatter it, he does not grind it. [29] This also comes forth from Yahweh of Hosts, who is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in wisdom.

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