Walter Slonopas told The Tennessean that accepting the number would have condemned his soul to hell. That number is considered the “mark of the beast” in the Bible’s Book of Revelation describing the apocalypse.

“If you accept that number, you sell your soul to the devil,” he said.

The company that handles payroll for Contech Casting LLC says the number meant Slonopas’ form was the 666th one posted out.

The 52-year-old Slonopas says he had trouble with the number before. He was supposed to be assigned No. 668 to use when he clocked in. Because of a mix-up, he was assigned 666. He complained and got a new number.