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Life and modern questions

What does the Bible say about piercings?

Jewellery appears throughout Scripture without condemnation, and the recurring concern is the heart rather than the ornament.

What Scripture says

Genesis 24:22

As the camels had finished drinking, the man took a golden ring of half a shekel weight, and two bracelets for her hands of ten shekels weight of gold,

1 Peter 3:3-4

Let your beauty come not from the outward adorning of braiding your hair, and of wearing gold ornaments or of putting on fine clothing, but from the hidden person of the heart, in the incorruptible adornment of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in God’s sight.

1 Timothy 2:9-10

In the same way, that women also adorn themselves in decent clothing, with modesty and propriety, not with braided hair, gold, pearls, or expensive clothing, but with good works, which is appropriate for women professing godliness.

1 Samuel 16:7

But the LORD said to Samuel, “Don’t look on his face, or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for I don’t see as man sees. For man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”

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Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible, which is in the public domain. See all Bible questions or verses by topic.

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