And then they abandoned their faith is the climax of these verses (though abandoned is not the main verb in the Greek). Abandoned their faith in Christ probably suggests disloyalty or betrayal, like exposing him to public shame. Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch has “turns his back to God,” Bible en français courant “fall back into an evil life.” The Greek verb is a stronger compound of the word for “fall” used in 3.17, where Good News Bible correctly translates fell down dead. Though 6.6 does not refer to physical death, the loss of faith is considered just as fatal. Any suggestion of merely tripping or stumbling should therefore be avoided in translation. See also Sirach 2.7, in a similar context.
If one follows the order suggested by the Good News Translation text, the rendering of And then they abandoned their faith will reflect what is employed in the first part of verse 4. The same, of course, applies to the expression bring them back to repent again. Good News Bible repeats these expressions in order to make verse 6 a separate sentence.
Bring them back to repent again contains repetition for emphasis in the Greek as in the English (back … again); it is literally “again renew them towards repentance” (similarly Barclay). On “repentance,” see 6.1.
Most translations and some commentators agree with Good News Translation in speaking of again crucifying, but the verb may also mean “to crucify up,” that is, “to nail up on the cross,” an emphatic form of “crucify.” The second sense is chosen by Moffatt, Jerusalem Bible, New American Bible, Bible de Jérusalem, and New English Bible.
Translators deal in three main ways with the phrase which Revised Standard Version translates “on their own account,” which is literally “in (or, by) themselves.” (a) Good News Translation and some other translations omit it. (b) Some take the meaning “in”: Moffatt “in their own persons,” Phillips “in their own souls.” (c) Other translations take the meaning “by”: New English Bible “with their own hands,” Jerusalem Bible “willfully,” Barclay “personally,” Translator’s New Testament “themselves.” (d) The phrase may also mean “to their own harm,” though this meaning is not chosen by any translation consulted. See comments on 12.3. Meaning (b) would be that the divine gifts and powers just mentioned are destroyed or killed when the one who has received them rejects Christ and loses faith in him. This involves a slight contrast between what happens “in their own persons” and the implied effect on others when Christ is “exposed to public shame.” This is an argument against meaning (c), since it seems to go without saying that such a personal act would be “willful.” Such apparently pointless emphasis may be the reason for choice (a), omission. Choice (b) is probably best, but (d) is possible.
The figurative meaning of they are again crucifying the Son of God must be marked in some languages as a simile; for example, “it is just as if they were again crucifying the Son of God” or “it is just as though they were again nailing the Son of God to a cross.” If one adopts meaning (b), it is possible to say “in themselves” or “as far as they themselves are concerned.” But this meaning seems presupposed in view of the figurative significance of “crucifying the Son of God.” This could only have a so-called spiritual meaning with reference to the individuals themselves.
Exposing him to public shame means (1) “holding him up as a warning to others,” (2) “causing others to look down on Christ,” or (3) “causing others to ridicule Christ.” Here (2) or (3) fits the context better than (1). Criminals were exposed in this way by being crucified or otherwise punished in public.
Quoted with permission from Ellingworth, Paul and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on The Letter of the Hebrews. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1983. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .