TEV restructures this verse, placing the less severe practice of tattooing before the cutting of the flesh. But this may not be advisable (see below). Make any cuttings in your flesh: the reference here is to the practice of making deep gashes in the skin while mourning the death of a relative. This was done to provide life blood for the spirit of the dead person rather than to express sorrow. On account of the dead: as indicated above, this describes the purpose of all the actions in verse 27 as