Airport officials have fired a luggage attendant who admitted playing a Bible verse and a death threat over the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport public speaker system after a gay couple collecting their luggage heard the message and filed a complaint, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reported.

Jethro Monestime, 23, who had worked for Superior Aircraft Services - a contractor for the airport - acknowledged that he played the message twice early May 1 after he downloaded the message to his cellphone.

Monestime, who told investigators the message was intended as a prank, he used his cell phone to play a recording that said, "If a man lies with a man as one lies with a woman, they should be put to death."

The announcement quoted from Leviticus 20:13, which, depending on the translation of the Bible, states that: "If a man lies with a man as one lies with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They must be put to death."

Monestime, who was described by co-workers as a devout Christian, said he was not aware a gay couple was in the airport terminal and said that was just a coincidence and had no ill intent.

Anthony Niedwiecki (right) and his partner of six years Waymon Hudson, who filed the complaint to airport officials shortly after they heard the message, didn't consider it a prank.

"It was a death threat," Niedwiecki said. "I appreciate the fact that police followed up on this."

Niedwiecki and Hudson filed the complaint to airport officials that started the investigation. He will not face criminal charges, the Broward Sheriff's Office said.

Danny Pyne, co-owner of Superior Aircraft, said Monestime was fired Monday, and the company had issued an apology to the couple.