Luke 8:9

Then ¹  his disciples asked him what this parable meant. ² 

His disciples asked him what this parable meant.

His disciples began questioning Him as to what this parable meant.

His disciples asked him what the story meant.

His disciples asked, "Why did you tell this story?"

And his disciples put questions to him about the point of the story.

Then his disciples asked him what this parable meant.

Then His disciples asked Him, saying, "What does this parable mean?"

Then ¹  his disciples asked him what this parable meant. ² 

¹ tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.

² tn Grk “what this parable might be” (an optative after a secondary tense, in keeping with good Koine style).