Is It OK to Paint in Your Bible? Looking at Creative Worship and Scripture

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This is a question I hear often. Sometimes whispered with curiosity, sometimes asked with hesitation, and sometimes with a little fear of “getting it wrong.” And honestly, I get it. The Bible is precious to us. It carries God’s Word, the stories that shape our faith, and generations of meaning. So when people ask, “Is it really okay to paint in your Bible?” they’re not just asking about art supplies. They’re asking about reverence. They’re asking about respect. They’re asking what’s allowed.

I’ll tell you where I personally land: anything that helps you engage with God, understand His character, meditate on His Word, and make Scripture more alive and present in your heart is not only okay, it’s a gift. You aren’t adding to Scripture or taking away from it when you paint in your Bible. You’re responding to it. You’re expressing what God is stirring in you using the gifts He gave you.

Is it ok to paint in your Bible? Is it ok to draw in your Bible? Is it bad if you sketch in your Bible? I hear this question a lot and here are my thoughts!

For me, I’m not a traditional Bible journaler. My faith art practice usually happens in a journal I create or purchase, something free-standing where I collage, layer, paint, and respond to Scripture in a more open format. But the question still applies: is it okay to paint in a Bible? Is it okay to paint on the outside of a Bible? Is it okay to use old Bible pages or hymnal pages in your creative work?

is it ok to paint in your Bible? Can you paint on your Bible? Is it bad to draw in your Bible? These are great questions, let's explore your creative Bible journaling!

These questions can feel controversial, but they don’t have to be. Here are some thoughts I’ve gathered, both from my own experience and from research, conversations, and reflections on what Scripture actually invites us into.

Your Bible is a tool for engaging with God, not a museum piece
A Bible is meant to be read, studied, wrestled with, and poured over, not kept pristine for the sake of perfection. If making art helps you slow down, savor Scripture, or stay present with God, then painting in your Bible becomes an act of devotion, not destruction.
Painting in your Bible can deepen your connection to Scripture
For many people, creativity helps the Word become more memorable. Color, imagery, and visual elements can open understanding in ways plain text sometimes doesn’t. You might understand a verse more deeply simply because you spent time interacting with it through paint or pen.
Creative expression is part of how God designed you
Your creativity is not separate from your faith, it’s woven into it. God wired people differently. Some process best through writing, some through quiet, some through conversation, and some through art. Using your creativity in Scripture is simply using what He placed inside you.
Painting in a Bible is not the same as altering Scripture
This is an important distinction. You are not rewriting verses. You’re not covering truth. You’re not adding doctrine. You’re responding. Painting or journaling alongside Scripture is no different from underlining, highlighting, or writing notes in the margins. It just uses more color.
It’s also okay if painting in a Bible feels uncomfortable
Not everyone feels permission to paint directly in their Bible, and that’s okay too. That’s where a freestanding art journal becomes a perfect alternative. Your creative worship doesn’t have to happen inside the physical pages of Scripture to be meaningful or valid. You need to follow the Holy Spirit’s leading on this one. If it feels wrong, listen!
Using old Bible pages or hymnals can be a way of honoring their history
When a Bible is falling apart or a hymnal has reached the end of its usable life, incorporating a page into artwork can feel like giving it a second purpose. You’re not disrespecting it, you’re preserving its beauty, history, and message in a new form. Many people find this redemptive. I’d rather see a tattered, torn Bible get used in a meaningful way than end up in a landfill.
Painting the cover of your Bible is a personal choice
This one is asked even less than painting inside, but it’s still a real question: is it okay to paint the outside of your Bible? My view is the same. If customizing the cover helps you feel more connected to a Bible you plan to read and love, then why wouldn’t you? It becomes your personal, cherished study companion. What matters is the heart behind the action.
The real question isn’t “Is this allowed?” but “Does this draw me closer to God?”
If painting, creating, or journaling helps you notice God’s presence, meditate on His Word, or linger longer in Scripture, that’s a good and meaningful practice. Faith isn’t a one-style-fits-all journey. Things that help your heart engage with God are worth pursuing.

At the end of the day, the Bible is living and active, but your method of interacting with it can be too. There is so much freedom in allowing your creativity and your faith to intertwine. Whether you paint inside your Bible, personalize the cover, create art in a separate journal, or use vintage pages in your mixed media work, the heart behind it matters more than the method.