Why the English Standard Version (ESV) is NOT my preferred translation of the Bible

The English Standard Version (ESV) version of the Bible, a newer translation first published in 2001, has been increasing its market share steadily. It has also found an audience among those disappointed with the recent revisions of the New International Version (NIV), possibly the market leader among Bible-believing Christians. Much of this popularity is due to the ESV’s promise of being “an ‘essentially literal’ translation that seeks as far as possible to capture the precise wording of the original text and the personal style of each Bible writer”. However, in one Bible passage at least, the ESV’s presentation is anything but literal. Indeed, the ESV stands alone among commonly accepted Bible translations in its rendering of the passage.

Please click on the link to see a side-by-side comparison between versions of 1 Corinthians 11:3-15.

In all other versions, one can see the words “woman” and “man” consistently translated throughout the passage. However, the ESV is on its own in shifting from “woman” and “man” to “wife” and “husband” respectively in parts of the passage. The ESV translators explained themselves in the relevant footnotes, which clearly displayed their lack of fidelity:

“a. 1 Corinthians 11:3 Greek gun&emacron;. This term may refer to a woman or a wife, depending on the context
b. 1 Corinthians 11:5 In verses 5-13, the Greek word gun&emacron; is translated wife in verses that deal with wearing a veil, a sign of being married in first-century culture”

In footnote a, the translators claimed that the context called for shifting perspectives. If this were so, how come the ESV stands alone in shifting? Should not all other faithful Bible translations employ the same shift in wording? Clearly, the ESV translators are not being literal in their translation work at all here.

In footnote b, the ESV translators admitted to using “cultural factors” in how their translation. However, this is exactly what got the so called “watered-down” translations, such as the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) and the NIV’s new revision into trouble. Once we adulterate the word of God and claim that things are said a certain way because of a particular cultural context, we lose the universal truth that is presented in the Bible. Instead, passages that do not fit well with contemporary sensitivities can be dismissed as “that’s the way things were back then, and means nothing today”.

1 Corinthians 11:3-15 is a passage that is commonly dismissed as not relevant to today’s Christian, but that calls for a deeper separate discussion. Here, the focus is on the ESV translators’ errors.

So what’s the big deal with one passage in the entire Bible? The answer is: faithfulness to the Word of God is at stake here. Even the ESV translation admits that “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16 ESV). Note that ALL Scripture originate from God, and not “All Scripture except 1 Corinthians 11:3-15”. No matter how one feels about that particular passage, the integrity of translation of God’s Word is relevant to all.

The ESV is an “essentially literal” translation? I think not.

I used to listen to Z103.5, but no longer.

I used to listen to Z103.5 but now I listen to KISS. 92.5 on the FM dial has better personalities and music.

Where to get the best currency exchange rates in Hong Kong (cash)

Currency conversion is an essential “to do” for international travel, and getting the best rates can make a difference in travel costs. In Hong Kong, the most important rule is to avoid exchanging money at the airport as much as possible, as the rates there are among the worst in the entire city. If you have absolutely zero or very few Hong Kong dollars, only exchange enough for your immediate transportation and survival needs, until you can visit a better money changer in town. I also recommend that you get one of the tourist products from the MTR (mass transit) that provides unlimited travel on the system, so there will be no additional transportation costs for visiting an in-town money changer. The “Airport Express Travel Pass” is especially worth looking into, and there may be a discount for purchasing that online or onboard a Cathay Pacific flight.

In-town, the best currency exchange rates in Hong Kong for cash can be found, in my experience, at Ngau Kee Money Changer (牛記找換) located at 1 Cleverly Street in Sheung Wan, between Connaught Road Central and Des Voeux Road Central. From Sheung Wan MTR station take exit B or C, or take the tram to Western Market (if you do not have an MTR unlimited travel pass). Indeed, that section of Cleverly Street is filled of money changers, so feel free to compare rates. However, my experience is that no one offers a better exchange rate than Ngau Kee.

Ngau Kee’s storefront on Google Streetview.

(“Ngau Kee” refers to a bull. With a rich agricultural heritage, “bull” is a common traditional Chinese name for men, as in “he is a strong as a bull”.)

Macau travel agency review: private tour with Gray Line Tours of Macau Limited

While Macau is known for having the best casino resorts in the world, it is much more than glitzy gambling venues. Recently I had to arrange for a half day tour of the city for a larger group of senior citizens, which meant that a private tour (i.e. our own hired vehicle and tour guide) was the best choice. The challenge I had was to find a reputable travel agency to handle the request: while anyone arriving in any of Macau’s entry ports would be greeted by assorted middle-aged men wearing shorts and sandals offering “cheap tours” and “discounted transportation”, the quality and safety of these offers are highly questionable.

I started my search at the most obvious location, the list of travel agencies licensed under the supervision of the Macau Government Tourist Office. Checking out websites, I found that Gray Line Tours of Macau (澳門錦倫旅行社) is one of the few agencies that conduct inbound tours. I also discovered that Gray Line is the Macau Government Tourism Office’s Appointed Travel Agency for its “Macau Highlight Tours”, attesting to Gray Line’s quality and reliability.

I booked a five-hour city tour on a 20-passenger minibus, with pick up at the Taipa Ferry Terminal and drop off at the Venetian Hotel Resort. Other tour vehicle options are by Mercedes Benz sedan or by minivan. The first challenge came when we were able to go on the ferry that departed half an hour earlier, so I had to move up the time for pick up by half an hour. Since the agency office had provided me with our tour guide’s mobile phone number in advance, it was not a problem to contact him and relay the request. Understanding that this request was to be met in a “best effort” basis, nonetheless the guide and the vehicle were able to meet us immediately upon our clearing immigration formalities.

Both the guide and driver were highly courteous and professional, and the vehicle was clean and well-maintained. The guide was knowledgeable in matters related to the history, geography, and significance of all tour highlights, and clearly answered any questions we had. He also gave good recommendations for our lunch in local cuisine (on our own). Also, the guide and driver remained flexible to our immediate customization requests: as it was a hot day, we decided to focus more on indoor (air conditioned) venues and just drive past some of the outdoor venues. The guide also provided us with discounted tickets to the Macau Tower, which was much appreciated.

The price I paid for the tour was HK$2500 ($322.65 Canadian/U.S., processed by Gray Line’s Hong Kong office), paid by Visa or Mastercard at least 5 days before the tour. Tour prices are dependent on the type of vehicle and the length of the tour. Cash tips for the guide and driver are extra and were cheerfully given. Gray Line provided an excellent tour experience, and I highly recommend their tours when visiting Macau.

Hong Kong private transportation/limousine service review: Trans-Island Limousine Service Limited

Hong Kong has an excellent public transit system, but when one needs to move a bigger group of people it is often more convenient to look into private transportation/a limousine service. This is especially true if luggage is involved.

Recently, I had to arrange for transporting a larger group of senior citizens from Hung Hom train station to Happy Valley, then on another day from Happy Valley to the airport. As multiple taxis for each trip would be a logistical nightmare and a hassle to keep the group together, I looked for a reliable vehicle hire service. After some research, I chose Trans-Island Limousine Service (環島旅運有限公司), a leading company in providing private transportation services. As they also provide coach services between the airport and various hotels, as well as between Hong Kong and various mainland China cities in Guangdong province, they are a reputable company with an excellent safety record (in contrast to the casually-dressed men touting “cheap van transportation” in Hung Hom train station, whose record is questionable).

Various vehicle types are available through Trans-Island, including Mercedes Benz sedans, Bentley sedans, minivans, 23-passenger minibuses and 45- passenger coaches. Wedding packages are also offered. For our trips I hired 23-passenger minibuses. In both cases the vehicles were well maintained and clean, the drivers were courteous and professional, and the trips were safe and comfortable. The drivers provided much assistance with the many pieces of luggage that we had, which was much appreciated. Dispatch was only a phone call away to ensure that meeting up with the minibus was smooth and without problems.

The price I paid from Hung Hom train station to Happy Valley was HK$600 ($77.51 Canadian/U.S.), and the price I paid from Happy Valley to the airport was HK$1214 ($156.44 Canadian/U.S.). Prices are dependent on the exact pick up/drop off locations, and payment is by major credit card at booking. Cash tips for the drivers are extra and were happily given.

Whenever private transportation/limousine service is needed in Hong Kong, I highly recommend Trans-Island. I will contact them again when I need such service again in the future.

A story of doing Customer Service WRONG! (Velcom DSL)

This is a re-post of a Facebook note by Jenny Stadnyk. Please distribute widely to increase awareness:

I wanted to share this message with everyone, and encourage you to share it with others if you know of anyone thinking of subscribing to Internet service with Velcom DSL.

I had been a happy customer with Velcom DSL since July 2008. When I moved from the condo to the house on March 31st, the Internet was transferred over. The very first week, we did not have an Internet connection. Over the month of April I made over 20 calls to Velcom, repeatedly telling them that the connection kept dropping and that when I first had service at this location in 2008, the same issue happened, and it turned out that Bell didn’t connect the line properly. I did all the tests Velcom told me to do, accepted a test modem (with a $45 deposit paid), tried it and determined that the modem was working fine. I sent the modem back at a cost to me of $13.90. They finally agreed to call Bell to come out but wanted a $100 deposit on the call because if the problem was within the walls of my house, I would have to pay a service fee. I managed to have the fee waived, Bell came out on May 1st, inspected the line, took a look at the connector boxes in the neighbourhood and determined that my Internet connection was hooked up to the wrong house!! They said the reason why I sometimes was able to connect to Internet (for 30 seconds to 3 minutes at a time) was because I was connecting to someone else’s connection).

This is where the problems began. I called Velcom to request a refund for the month of April because the line was hooked up to the wrong house and they refused!! Initially the customer service reps I spoke with agreed that I would be reimbursed for the $45 modem deposit, the $13.60 shipping fee and a full month service fees, however once I was connected with the manager, they told me that I hadn’t called them to complain, even though my cell phone bill lists 20 calls each of over 15 minutes with the company since the 4th of April. Then they told me that when I did call I was calling about my wireless router, although there was never a problem with my router. Finally they agreed to refund two weeks only but would not refund the shipping cost of returning the modem. even though I told them from the very beginning that the problem was with the line and that the modem worked perfectly in the condo, only days before the move.

I provided the company a detailed list of the calls I made and the problems I was having and each time I called I was told that a manager would call me back in the next day. Two days would go by, I’d call again and be told the same thing.

Finally yesterday, my husband called them a final time and was told the same thing, that we never called to complain and that even though, yes they admit that the line was connected to the wrong house for an entire month, they would only reimburse us for 2 weeks of service.

We had him email proof of how much credit is remaining on our account and cancelled our service as of the last paid-up-to date. I told the manager how disappointed I was that they didn’t care about me as a customer and didn’t appreciate my business and kept getting the “I understand, but we’re not budging”.

So. I want everyone to know about my stressful experience with Velcom and warn those of you currently with the company or thinking of signing up with them. They do not care about you as a customer and do not go out of their way to be understanding when there is a problem with the service.

I am now hunting for a new ISP, so any recommendations would be greatly appreciated, and I am making a phone call to the Better Business Bureau, as I feel that Velcom is withholding my own money paid to them, although I did not receive a service in return.

The thing I find the most amusing is on the main page of their website it says “At Velcom, we have high standards. Our primary goal is to be the strongest, most infrastructurally sound Internet Service Provider in Canada. We put our years of experience to work for you every day, and are committed to providing 100% customer satisfaction to every client”.

Thanks for listening,

Jen

Bad service: Regal Nails Salon (in Walmart), Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada

(Content removed. Please see comments section)

Markham Stouffville Urgent Care Centre – Inaccurate Advertising

I received this note from a trusted friend:

“The Markham Stouffville Urgent Care Centre placed ads in the local newspaper saying that flu shots are available there. In the ad, they told the public that vaccines are available during regular clinic hours, in addition to special flu shot sessions. However, when I went there with my mother (she is a senior in her late sixties) last Thursday afternoon during regular clinic hours, they refused to vaccinate us. We were the only patients there at the time, and staff members were just sitting around. I asked if they could at least make an exception for my mother, but they still refused. As a result, the drive there, plus the time spent, was for nothing.

“Please tell everyone that no, the flu vaccine is NOT available at the Markham Stouffville Urgent Care Centre during regular clinic hours. Thank you!”

Fido.ca website fail

Since at least last Thursday, if you try to perform a transaction at the fido.ca website, this is what you will get:

If you call customer service, they will tell you that it will be fixed “tomorrow”, even though they started replying like that several days ago. And don’t bother with Contact Us, if you try to send a message there, the same error message appears.

An Excellent Reply from Druxy’s

Less than 2 ½ hours after I emailed my complaint to Druxy’s, I received a very satisfactory reply.  This turnaround time greatly exceeded my expectations, and the offer of a Druxy’s card – which I accepted – was impressive as well.  I am happy to be resuming visits to Druxy’s, and look forward to enjoying their menu for years to come.

The reply from Peter Druxerman, VP Marketing at Druxy’s, is as follows:

“Andrew

Thank you so much for spending the time to write us regarding your experience at our Zurich Life Building location.  I am embarrassed by the treatment you received and understand and agree with your reaction.  A 1 cent napkin is the right of every customer and if you felt you needed more than one, then so be it.  On behalf of all of our franchisees and staff who are committed to providing exceptional service to their customers, I apologize.

I will be sharing your note with the franchisee of this location and all of our franchisees and staff so that they can understand how their actions can have very grave consequences.

As a thank you for spending the time to share your experience and as an apology, I would like to send you a DRUXY’S Card that you will be able to use at any of our locations to experience how service at DRUXY’S is meant to be.  If you choose not to accept this offer, I understand.  If you would like to accept it, please send me your mailing address and I will have the card mailed to you.

Thank you once again for your note.  It is an important tool that we will use to improve our service for all customers.

Sincerely, 

Peter Druxerman

Vice-president, Marketing

DRUXY’S Inc.”