FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- Airport officials have fired a luggage attendant who admitted playing a Bible verse that offended a gay couple over an public speaker system at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport .

Anthony Niedwiecki and Waymon Hudson reported that while they were waiting for their baggage, someone read a passage from the Bible over the PA system, Leviticus 20:13, which calls for the death of gay people.

"We have received a lot of very hateful messages directed towards us," Niedwiecki said. "Any names that you can think of have been thrown at us."

Airport officials said 23-year-old Jethro Monestine confessed and said it was meant as a prank.

"I want to apologize to the couple that were around when the message played," Monestine said. "I also want to apologize to anyone that was hurt because I didn't mean what I did."

"To me, if this was a prank, it wouldn't involve a death threat," Hudson said.

Monestine was an aviation employee for Superior Aircraft Services, but has since been fired.

"I have learned from my mistake and have to move on from here," Monestine said.

Superior Aircraft Services issued an apology Monday afternoon to Niedwiecki and Hudson.