Giovanni Diodati
A Genevan-born Italian who gave his countrymen a Protestant Bible, translating directly from ancient texts to shape Italian religious thought.
1576–1649 (age 73)·Calvinist theologian·Birthday: June 3
Biography
Born in Geneva to Italian Protestant exiles, Giovanni Diodati was a linguistic prodigy immersed in Reformation theology from childhood. By his twenties, he was a professor of Hebrew and theology. His life's defining work was not a theological treatise but a translation: a monumental Italian Bible rendered directly from Hebrew, Greek, and other source languages. Published in 1607, it was a bold act of scholarship that bypassed the Latin Vulgate, offering Italian Protestants a precise and powerful scriptural text. For centuries, his translation served as the authoritative Bible for Italian-speaking Protestants, a cornerstone of faith and cultural identity. Diodati also served as a theological envoy, representing Geneva at the Synod of Dort, where his linguistic skills made him a key translator for international delegates.
#1 When Giovanni Was Born
The biggest hits of 1576
Giovanni's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1576Born
1581Started school
1589Became a teenager
1592Could drive
1594Could vote
1597Turned 21
1606Turned 30
1616Turned 40
1626Turned 50
1636Turned 60
1646Turned 70
1649Died at 73
Key Achievements
- Produced the first complete Italian translation of the Bible from original Hebrew and Greek texts in 1607.
- His Italian Bible became the standard reference version for Protestant communities in Italy for over three centuries.
- Served as a professor of Hebrew and Theology at the Academy of Geneva from a young age.
- Acted as a translator and theological advisor for the Reformed party at the Synod of Dort in 1618-1619.
Did You Know?
He began studying Hebrew at the age of nine.
He preached his first sermon at the age of fifteen.
His translation of the Bible included marginal notes that were influential in Protestant doctrine.
He also translated the Bible into French, though his Italian version is his most famous work.
“The word of God must speak in the tongue of the people.”
