The Copy Book

The First Easter

In a translation from the Authorized Version of the Bible, published in 1611, St Mark recounts the discovery of Christ’s empty tomb.

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© Fumihiko Ueno. Licence: CC BY-SA 2.0.

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The First Easter

© Fumihiko Ueno. Licence: CC BY-SA 2.0. Source
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The mesmerising interior of the Church of the Resurrection of the Saviour in St Petersburg, more popularly known as the Church of the Saviour on the Spilled Blood, a reference to the assassination of Tsar Alexander II on that site in 1881.

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Introduction

This translation of St Mark’s breathless account of the resurrection of Jesus was made in the reign of King James VI and I, and published in 1611. The language was deliberately archaic, even for William Shakespeare’s time, and translated the traditional ‘Byzantine’ text of the New Testament rather than the academic reconstructions preferred since the 19th century.

AND when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him.

And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun. And they said among themselves, Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre? And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away: for it was very great.

And entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment; and they were affrighted. And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him. But go your way, tell his disciples and Peter that he goeth before you into Galilee: there shall ye see him, as he said unto you.

And they went out quickly, and fled from the sepulchre; for they trembled and were amazed: neither said they any thing to any man; for they were afraid.

From Mark 16:1-9 (Authorised Version)

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Spinners Find in Think and Speak

For each group of words, compose a sentence that uses all three. You can use any form of the word: for example, cat → cats, go → went, or quick → quickly, though neigh → neighbour is stretching it a bit.

This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.

1 Early. Mother. See.

2 Day. Out. You.

3 Side. Sitting. Week.

Variations: 1. include direct and indirect speech 2. include one or more of these words: although, because, despite, either/or, if, unless, until, when, whether, which, who 3. use negatives (not, isn’t, neither/nor, never, nobody etc.)

Homophones Find in Think and Speak

In each group below, you will find words that sound the same, but differ in spelling and also in meaning. Compose your own sentences to bring out the differences between them.

This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.

1. Yew. You. 2. Rows. Rose. 3. Sees. Seas. Seize. 4. Weak. Week. 5. Side. Sighed. 6. Place. Plaice. 7. Knot. Not. 8. Your. You’re. Yore. 9. Scene. Seen.

Opposites Find in Think and Speak

Suggest words or phrases that seem opposite in meaning to each of the words below. We have suggested some possible answers; see if you can find any others.

This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.

1. Buy. 2. Earlier. 3. Early. 4. First. 5. Man. 6. Out. 7. Rise. 8. Young. 9. Younger.

Show Useful Words (A-Z order)

Variations: 1.instead of opposites, suggest words of similar meaning (synonyms). 2.use a word and its opposite in the same sentence. 3.suggest any 5 opposites formed by adding dis-.

High Tiles Find in Think and Speak

Make words (three letters or more) from the seven letters showing below, using any letter once only. Each letter carries a score. What is the highest-scoring word you can make?

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