Luke 8:9
New International Version
His disciples asked him what this parable meant.

New Living Translation
His disciples asked him what this parable meant.

English Standard Version
And when his disciples asked him what this parable meant,

Berean Standard Bible
Then His disciples asked Him what this parable meant.

Berean Literal Bible
And His disciples were asking Him, "What does this parable mean?"

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

New King James Version
Then His disciples asked Him, saying, “What does this parable mean?”

New American Standard Bible
Now His disciples began asking Him what this parable meant.

NASB 1995
His disciples began questioning Him as to what this parable meant.

NASB 1977
And His disciples began questioning Him as to what this parable might be.

Legacy Standard Bible
And His disciples began questioning Him as to what this parable meant.

Amplified Bible
Now His disciples began asking Him what this parable meant.

Christian Standard Bible
Then his disciples asked him, “What does this parable mean? ”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Then His disciples asked Him, “What does this parable mean?”

American Standard Version
And his disciples asked him what this parable might be.

Contemporary English Version
Jesus' disciples asked him what the story meant.

English Revised Version
And his disciples asked him what this parable might be.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
His disciples asked him what this story meant.

Good News Translation
His disciples asked Jesus what this parable meant,

International Standard Version
Then his disciples began to ask him what this parable meant.

Majority Standard Bible
Then His disciples asked Him what this parable meant.

NET Bible
Then his disciples asked him what this parable meant.

New Heart English Bible
Then his disciples asked him, "What does this parable mean?"

Webster's Bible Translation
And his disciples asked him, saying, What doth this parable mean?

Weymouth New Testament
The disciples proceeded to ask Him what this parable meant.

World English Bible
Then his disciples asked him, “What does this parable mean?”
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And His disciples were questioning Him, saying, “What may this allegory be?”

Berean Literal Bible
And His disciples were asking Him, "What does this parable mean?"

Young's Literal Translation
And his disciples were questioning him, saying, 'What may this simile be?'

Smith's Literal Translation
And his disciples asked him, saying, What may this parable be?
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And his disciples asked him what this parable might be.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Then his disciples questioned him as to what this parable might mean.

New American Bible
Then his disciples asked him what the meaning of this parable might be.

New Revised Standard Version
Then his disciples asked him what this parable meant.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And his disciples asked him, What is this parable?

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And his disciples asked him, “What is this parable?”
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
And the disciples asked him, saying: What does this parable mean?

Godbey New Testament
And His disciples asked Him saying, What might this parable be?

Haweis New Testament
Then his disciples asked him, saying. What might this parable mean?

Mace New Testament
But his disciples having ask'd him the meaning of this parable;

Weymouth New Testament
The disciples proceeded to ask Him what this parable meant.

Worrell New Testament
And His disciples were asking Him, what this parable might be.

Worsley New Testament
And his disciples asked Him, what might be the meaning of this parable.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Parable of the Sower
8Still other seed fell on good soil, where it sprang up and produced a crop—a hundredfold.” As Jesus said this, He called out, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” 9Then His disciples asked Him what this parable meant. 10He replied, “The knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to others I speak in parables, so that, ‘though seeing, they may not see; though hearing, they may not understand.’…

Cross References
Matthew 13:10-11
Then the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Why do You speak to the people in parables?” / He replied, “The knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them.

Mark 4:10-11
As soon as Jesus was alone with the Twelve and those around Him, they asked Him about the parable. / He replied, “The mystery of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to those on the outside everything is expressed in parables,

Isaiah 6:9-10
And He replied: “Go and tell this people, ‘Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving.’ / Make the hearts of this people calloused; deafen their ears and close their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.”

Matthew 13:13-15
This is why I speak to them in parables: ‘Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand.’ / In them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled: ‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. / For this people’s heart has grown callous; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn, and I would heal them.’

Mark 4:33-34
With many such parables Jesus spoke the word to them, to the extent that they could understand. / He did not tell them anything without using a parable. But privately He explained everything to His own disciples.

John 16:25
I have spoken these things to you in figures of speech. An hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you this way, but will tell you plainly about the Father.

Matthew 11:25
At that time Jesus declared, “I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because You have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children.

1 Corinthians 2:7-10
No, we speak of the mysterious and hidden wisdom of God, which He destined for our glory before time began. / None of the rulers of this age understood it. For if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. / Rather, as it is written: “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no heart has imagined, what God has prepared for those who love Him.” ...

Romans 16:25-26
Now to Him who is able to strengthen you by my gospel and by the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery concealed for ages past / but now revealed and made known through the writings of the prophets by the command of the eternal God, in order to lead all nations to the obedience that comes from faith—

Colossians 1:26-27
the mystery that was hidden for ages and generations but is now revealed to His saints. / To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

1 Peter 1:10-12
Concerning this salvation, the prophets who foretold the grace to come to you searched and investigated carefully, / trying to determine the time and setting to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when He predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow. / It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves, but you, when they foretold the things now announced by those who preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things.

Deuteronomy 29:4
Yet to this day the LORD has not given you a mind to understand, eyes to see, or ears to hear.

Jeremiah 5:21
“Hear this, O foolish and senseless people, who have eyes but do not see, who have ears but do not hear.

Ezekiel 12:2
“Son of man, you are living in a rebellious house. They have eyes to see but do not see, and ears to hear but do not hear, for they are a rebellious house.

Psalm 78:2
I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things hidden from the beginning,


Treasury of Scripture

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

What.

Hosea 6:3
Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the LORD: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth.

Matthew 13:10,18,36
And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? …

Matthew 15:15
Then answered Peter and said unto him, Declare unto us this parable.

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Luke 8
1. Women minister unto Jesus of their own means.
4. Jesus, after he had preached from place to place,
9. explains the parable of the sower,
16. and the candle;
19. declares who are his mother, and brothers;
22. rebukes the winds;
26. casts the legion of demons out of the man into the herd of pigs;
37. is rejected by the Gadarenes;
43. heals the woman of her bleeding;
49. and raises Jairus's daughter from death.














His disciples
The term "disciples" refers to the close followers of Jesus, those who were committed to learning from Him and living according to His teachings. In the Greek, the word "μαθηταί" (mathētai) is used, which means learners or students. This highlights the role of the disciples as those who are in a continuous process of learning and growing in their understanding of the Kingdom of God. Historically, discipleship in the Jewish context involved a close relationship between the teacher (rabbi) and the student, emphasizing not just the transfer of knowledge but the imitation of the teacher's life and character.

asked Him
The act of asking indicates a desire for deeper understanding and clarity. In the Greek, the word "ἐπηρώτων" (epērōtōn) is used, which implies a questioning or inquiring. This reflects the disciples' recognition of Jesus as a source of divine wisdom and their willingness to seek answers from Him. It also shows their humility and openness to learning, which is a crucial attitude for any follower of Christ. The historical context of rabbinic teaching often involved dialogue and questioning, which was a method used to engage students and deepen their comprehension.

what this parable meant
The word "parable" comes from the Greek "παραβολή" (parabolē), which means a comparison or analogy. Parables were a common teaching method used by Jesus to convey spiritual truths through everyday accounts and images. The disciples' question about the meaning of the parable indicates that they recognized the depth and complexity of Jesus' teachings. Parables often required contemplation and spiritual insight to understand their full implications. This phrase underscores the importance of seeking divine revelation and guidance to grasp the mysteries of the Kingdom of God, as human wisdom alone is insufficient.

Verse 9. - And his disciples asked him, saying, What might this parable be! This is the only parable St. Luke gives as spoken by our Lord in this place. St. Matthew - who gives the additional detail that on account of the pressure of the crowd on the lake-shore it was spoken from a boat moored close to the bank - relates seven parables here in sequence. It is probable that the Master spoke some of these at least on this occasion, but St. Luke, possibly on account of its extreme solemnity, possibly because he wished to mark this parable as the first of this new kind of teaching, relates it and its interpretation only, saying nothing further respecting that day's parable-teaching. It is most probable that all these reported discourses, parables, expositions, or sermons, are simply a resume of the original words. The disciples evidently by their question - which St. Mark tells us was put to Jesus when they were alone with him - were surprised and puzzled, first at the strange change which that eventful day inaugurated in the method of their Master's teaching, and secondly, at the peculiar character of this his first great parable-lesson. It was, indeed, a sombre and depressing announcement whatever way it was looked at - sombre as a picture of the results of his own past ministry, depressing if regarded as a prophecy of their future success as teachers.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
Then
δὲ (de)
Conjunction
Strong's 1161: A primary particle; but, and, etc.

His
αὐτοῦ (autou)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

disciples
μαθηταὶ (mathētai)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 3101: A learner, disciple, pupil. From manthano; a learner, i.e. Pupil.

asked
Ἐπηρώτων (Epērōtōn)
Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 1905: To interrogate, question, demand of. From epi and erotao; to ask for, i.e. Inquire, seek.

Him
αὐτὸν (auton)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

what
Τίς (Tis)
Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Nominative Feminine Singular
Strong's 5101: Who, which, what, why. Probably emphatic of tis; an interrogative pronoun, who, which or what.

this
αὕτη (hautē)
Demonstrative Pronoun - Nominative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3778: This; he, she, it.

parable
παραβολή (parabolē)
Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3850: From paraballo; a similitude, i.e. fictitious narrative, apothegm or adage.

meant.
εἴη (eiē)
Verb - Present Optative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1510: I am, exist. The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist.


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