DIODATI, Giovanni (1576—1649), a Swiss theologian of the Reformed Church, was born at Geneva on the 6th June 1576 of a noble family originally belonging to Lucca, which had been expatriated for the profession of Protestantism. In his youth he distinguished himself as a biblical scholar, and at the age of twenty-one he was nominated Professor of Hebrew at Geneva on the recommendation of Beza. In 1608 he became a pastor, or parish minister, at Geneva, and in the following year he succeeded Beza as professor of theology. As a preacher he was eloquent, bold, and fearless, with his full share of the intolerance that prevailed among his party at Geneva. He held a high place among the reformers of Geneva, by whom he was sent on a mission to France in 1614. He had previously visited Italy, and made the acquaintance of Sarpi and Fulgenzio, whom he endeavoured unsuccessfully to engage in a reformation movement. In 1618-19 he attended the Synod of Dort, and took a prominent part in its deliberations, being one of the six divines appointed to draw up the account of its proceedings. He was a thorough Calvinist, and entirely sympathized with the condemnation of the Arminians. In 1645 he resigned his professorship, and he died at Geneva on the 3d October 1649. Diodati is chiefly celebrated as the author of the translation of the Bible into Italian which appeared in 1603. Another edition with notes was issued in 1607. As a translator he possessed the primary qualification of a competent knowledge of the original, but his work was rather a paraphrase than a translation, and his notes were those of a theologian rather than of a critic. He also undertook a translation of the Bible into French, which appeared with notes in 1644. Among his other works were his Annotationes in Biblia ...