Editing Basilides (section)

===Metempsychosis===
Basilides likewise brought in the notion of sin in a past stage of existence suffering its penalty here, "the elect soul" suffering "honourably through martyrdom, and the soul of another kind being cleansed by an appropriate punishment." To this doctrine of metempsychosis the Basilidians are likewise said to have referred the language of the Lord about requital to the third and fourth generations;<ref>{{harvnb|Hort|1911}} cites ''Exc. Theod.'' 976.</ref> Origen states that Basilides himself interpreted {{bibleverse||Romans|7:9}} in this sense,{{sfn|Hort|1911}}
{{blockquote|The Apostle said, 'I lived without a law once,' that is, before I came into this body, I lived in such a form of body as was not under a law, that of a beast namely, or a bird.<ref>{{harvnb|Hort|1911}} cites ''Com. in Rom.'' iv. 549, Ru.</ref>}}

However, if there be any who suffers without previous sin, it will not be "by the design of an [adverse] power", but as suffers the babe who appears to have committed no sin. The infant is said to receive a benefit when it is subjected to suffering, "gaining" many hardships.{{sfn|Hort|1911}}