Albert Barnes Commentary Hebrews 10:33

"partly, being made a gazingstock both by reproaches and afflictions; and partly, becoming partakers with them that were so used." — Hebrews 10:33 (ASV)

Partly. That is, your affliction consisted partly in this. The Greek is "this"—specifying one kind of affliction that they were called to endure.

While you were made a gazing-stock. Theatrizomenoi—that is, you were made a public spectacle, as if in a theater; you were held up to public view, or exposed to public scorn. When this was done, or in precisely what manner, we are not told.

It was not an uncommon thing, however, for the early Christians to be held up to reproach and scorn, and this probably refers to some time when it was done by rulers or magistrates.

It was a common custom among the Greeks and Romans to lead criminals, before they were put to death, through the theater, and thus to expose them to the insults and reproaches of the multitude. (See the proofs of this cited by Kuinoel on this passage.) The language here seems to have been taken from this custom, though there is no evidence that the Christians to whom Paul refers had been treated in this manner.

By reproaches. You were reproached as being the followers of Jesus of Nazareth, probably as weak and fanatical.

And afflictions. Various sufferings were inflicted on you. You were not merely reviled in words, but you were made to endure positive sufferings of various kinds.

And partly, while you became companions of those who were so treated. That is, even when you had not yourselves been subjected to these trials, you sympathized with those who were. You doubtless shared your property with them, sent them relief, and identified yourselves with them (compare 1 Thessalonians 2:14). It is not known to what particular occasion the apostle here refers. In the next verse, he mentions one instance in which you had done this, in aiding him when he was a prisoner.