And his disciples asked him, saying, What might this parable be?

And his disciples were questioning him, saying, 'What may this simile be?'

The disciples proceeded to ask Him what this parable meant.

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

Then his disciples questioned him as to what this parable might mean.

His disciples asked Jesus the meaning of this parable.

And his disciples asked him,.... That is, as Mark says, "when he was alone"; after the multitude were departed, and they were by themselves, it may be in some house with other disciples:
saying, what might this parable be? what is the sense and meaning of it? According to Matthew, they asked why he spake in parables to the people; and to such a question the following words are a proper answer.