Why did Paul wish the believers to have the Paraclete in them when they already have Him?

u/Vegetable_Note_9805

The last paragraph of 2 Timothy read as follows: ESV, 2T 4:

19 Greet Prisca and Aquila, and the household of Onesiphorus. 20 Erastus remained at Corinth, and I left Trophimus, who was ill, at Miletus. 21 Do your best to come before winter. Eubulus sends greetings to you, as do Pudens and Linus and Claudia and all the brothers. 22 The Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with you.

NLT, 2T 4:

19 Give my greetings to Priscilla and Aquila and those living in the household of Onesiphorus. 20Erastus stayed at Corinth, and I left Trophimus sick at Miletus. 21 Do your best to get here before winter. Eubulus sends you greetings, and so do Pudens, Linus, Claudia, and all the brothers and sisters. 22 May the Lord be with your spirit. And may his grace be with all of you.

This construction uses “may” to mark a desire, hope, or blessing directed toward the future. This NLT rendering was not appropriate. On Biblehub, 3 versions used 'may'.

Recovery Version is better by not using the word 'May':

The Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with you.

u/Vegetable_Note_9805: It sounds like Paul is almost "wishing" something on the believers that may or may not be their reality.

That's a reasonable interpretation of the RcV rendering, but the English linguistic force here is actually stronger than that. The “be” is not indicative present tense but subjunctive, a grammatical form used for commands, decrees, or solemn pronouncements. It says, "Let the Lord be with your spirit presently". It is not a hope about the future.

On Biblehub, 37 versions used 'be'.

Why did Paul say that at all if it is already true that the Lord is with your spirit?

Right. In fact, the Greek was a bit different from the English renderings of 'may' and 'be'. The verbs-to-be were there. Paul wasn't expressing a future wish with 'may' or a subjunctive potential in the present with 'be'; he expressed certainty without using the verb to be. Greek often omitted the verb to be when the meaning was obvious: The Lord is obviously with your spirit. What English turned into a wish, Greek presented as a theological reality stated liturgically. Paul did not write: “May the Lord be with your spirit” or “The Lord will be with your spirit”. He wrote: Literal Standard Version:

The Lord Jesus Christ [is] with your spirit. The grace [is] with you! Amen.

On Biblehub, only 2 versions used 'is'.

These were declarations of reality. Paul used them as final blessings to end his letter. It’s a benedictory affirmation rooted in theological reality, expressed in a grammatical form common in ancient epistolary closings.

Last sentence in the epistle of Galatians, Literal Standard Version, Gal 6:

18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ [is] with your spirit, brothers! Amen.

Last sentence in the epistle Philemon, Literal Standard Version:

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ [is] with your spirit! Amen.

Paul wasn't stating a wish or a potential but a certainty. He used this liturgical formula to remind the readers of this certainty to bless and close his epistles. He meant to strengthen, assure, and focus the believer’s spirit on the living reality of divine companionship. The grammar served devotion, not uncertainty.

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Appendix

May the Force be with you.

“May” marks this as a wish or blessing. One wishes that the Force will be with you. One hopes this will be the case. It is used in the Star Wars series as a benediction to say farewell.

The Force be with you. This omits “May”, resulting in a subjunctive "be". Let the Force be with you.

Best yet:
The Force is with you.